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Original poster

Alternative Definitions of 'Woman'?

703 replies

Dragoncake · 04/07/2018 08:15

Do you disagree with the definition of 'woman' as 'adult human female'?

If you disagree, what is your own definition of the word?

A woman is....what exactly?

Is there even a definition? Or is 'woman' simply indefinable in your view?

On the 'A Woman is an Adult Human Female' thread I asked those who disagree to provide their alternative definition of the word.

Several people engaged, but nobody seemed able to do this.

If you have one, please post your alternative definition here. Thanks.

OP posts:
CardsforKittens · 07/07/2018 21:42

A woman is an individual who originated from the side of her spouse, when the spouse was asleep.

And the moment he woke up he started hassling her about his bone.

FloralBunting · 07/07/2018 21:32

A woman is an individual who originated from the side of her spouse, when the spouse was asleep.

Offred · 07/07/2018 21:26

Is starzig reading a bible rather than a dictionary? Grin

ErrolTheDragon · 07/07/2018 20:23

Hey, but maybe we should push for the reinstatement of werman for blokes, and revert man to being neutral?

ErrolTheDragon · 07/07/2018 20:21

No, we are talking about definition, which is the meaning. You have given a possible derivation. Not sure where you got it from though. I've looked at a few, wiki summarises the consensus pretty well:

'The spelling of "woman" in English has progressed over the past millennium from wīfmann[1] to wīmmann to wumman, and finally, the modern spelling woman.[2] In Old English, wīfmann meant "female human", whereas wēr meant "male human". Mann or monn had a gender-neutral meaning of "human", corresponding to Modern English "person" or "someone"; however, subsequent to the Norman Conquest, man began to be used more in reference to "male human", and by the late 13th century had begun to eclipse usage of the older term wēr.[3] The medial labial consonants f and m in wīfmann coalesced into the modern form "woman", while the initial element wīf, which meant "female", underwent semantic narrowing to the sense of a married woman ("wife").'

There you go. Derivation which oddly enough gets us back to 'female human'.
We could take this over to pedants' corner?

thebewilderness · 07/07/2018 20:19

Interesting that the rule against misgendering on FWR does not apply to dads.

thebewilderness · 07/07/2018 20:18

I suppose that sorting by rank as MsB suggests would be sorting by beliefs or personality.
An exercise in promoting maximum divisiveness and reducing the capacity to communicate ideas in a meaningful way.

SarahCarer · 07/07/2018 20:02
Smile
starzig · 07/07/2018 19:59

So long as you are happy. I do tend to get a bit picky.

SarahCarer · 07/07/2018 19:54

No starzig. Definition is fine.

starzig · 07/07/2018 19:53

Oh you want a description then. Not a definition.

SarahCarer · 07/07/2018 19:47

I think you're referring to the origin of the word starzig. We're talking about definition; a different thing.

starzig · 07/07/2018 19:36

Look it up. That is the literal meaning of woman.

MIdgebabe · 07/07/2018 19:29

Dadjoke is coming up with similar lines in Aibu

ErrolTheDragon · 07/07/2018 19:25

The definition is taken out of man.

sorry, what do you mean? Confused

starzig · 07/07/2018 17:46

The definition is taken out of man.

ErrolTheDragon · 07/07/2018 17:24

He's probably doing it from ignorance rather than any malice.

General Talk Guidelines https://www.mumsnet.com/info/netiquette

Specific guidelines relating to trans and gender critical discussions
https://www.mumsnet.com/info/trans-rights-moderation-policy

And one more set of rules to be mindful of when posting on MN, especially the Feminist boards Wink
https://www.reddit.com/r/GenderCritical/comments/6kkeni/theerulesoffmisogyny/

TransplantsArePlants · 07/07/2018 17:09

SpareRib

I choose not to rise to it. I would never report it because I want people to see the discussion Because it shows them up. I don't like it but that's neither here nor there.

Ereshkigal · 07/07/2018 16:34

Yes I think it's probably because the GC side aren't officious tell tales who want to silence debate.

Pratchet · 07/07/2018 15:42

Maybe it doesn't count if the person using it doesn't understand what an empty and self contradictory term it is.

Original poster
Dragoncake · 07/07/2018 14:18

Could it be because nobody has reported incidents of 'cis'? Suggesting that it really is a debate from the GC POV?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dragoncake · 07/07/2018 14:15

That doesn't bother me personally SpareRibFeb. Free speech and all that. But I totally get your point, given that T** is banned.

Still waiting for DadJoke's definition of 'woman'. Do you have one @DadJoke ?

OP posts:
SpareRibFem · 07/07/2018 13:42

So far on this thread alone DadJoke has two posts referring to 'cis' for women despite 'The Rules'. Am I missing something?

OldCrone · 07/07/2018 12:18

CardsforKittens
I agree with you about third spaces, but as for sex being socially constructed...

Sex is about reproduction. No matter how much word salad is posted, it doesn't change how babies are made.

If you change the meaning of the words 'sex' and 'woman' we will just need new words to describe those realities. Because science is real and still exists no matter how much you play about with language.

Original poster
Dragoncake · 07/07/2018 12:12

Physical third spaces I mean (refuges etc). I agree with Sarah that the best option for everyone, trans people included, would be to get serious about dismantling sex stereotypes.

OP posts:
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