Priority: High
<< > there are 3 possible responses (I summarise and slightly re-organise)
> a) "to continue with the traditional practice, as any careful writers still
> do" >>
Judy
Firstly I'm not arguing - just offering some information. As I said your are no
doubt right _where you are writing from_ (as also is Luis). Hardly an argument,
more an attempt to widen the viewpoint.
Second - I repeat that these issues are not particularly appropriate to the
list. However I didn't say you should not have answered (though I don't think
your particular responses have been helpful.)
I think we have to accept a range of usages in this respect and others,
bearing in mind the different traditions and cultures represented and varying
degrees of expertise in the use of the English language. Replies to enquires
such as this one should be brief, to the point and expressing tolerance.
My only point in commenting was to try and add a little perspective to your
answer, which certainly does not reflect the position in this country, nor I
think globally.
Feminism is certainly not the only 'ism' of relevance on-line - there is also a
pervasive American cultural imperialism. I suspect that this was not
intentional in your original posting, but it certainly seemed to me to be
present. (Of course by American I mean of the USA.)
As you point out, the 'any' was a typo and should have read 'many' - for which
I apologise to all.
Actually I think putting in toilets is far easier than changing cultural
assumptions!
Peter Marshall
On Fixing Shadows and elsewhere:
http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~ds8s/
Family Pictures, German Indications, London demonstrations &
The Buildings of London etc: http://www.spelthorne.ac.uk/pm/