3 ms·

For everyone whining about how this is "newspeak" and brainwashing, consider how the pronoun "Ms." didn't exist until the 60s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms

For everyone whining about how this is "newspeak" and brainwashing, consider how the pronoun "Ms." didn't exist until the 60s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms. (edit <- the period is part of the link, but HN strips it out) Shouldn't the arguments that language can lead toward changes of thought (the "newspeak arguments") actually _spur_ these changes toward less biased thinking? If you agree that it is possible to change language, and that changing language changes thought, then the only remaining arguments at that point are appeals to a nebulous concept of "freedom" and that you like being a dude and saying whatever you want. Appeals to 1984 are extra bankrupt because this is not a government, and there is absolutely no penalty for disobedience, except the social one -- and social punishments for disobedience of social norms has always been a part and parcel of living in, well, society.

strictnein 10y ago
Do you mean the 1660s? From your link: > ""Ms." began to be used as early as the 17th century, along with "Miss" and "Mrs.", as a title derived from the then formal "Mistress", which, like Mister, did not originally indicate marital status"
- unclesaamm 9y ago
  Read the full sentence: > "Ms." began to be used as early as the 17th century, along with "Miss" and "Mrs.", as a title derived from the then formal "Mistress", which, like Mister, did not originally indicate marital status. "Ms.", however, fell into disuse in favor of the other two titles and was not revived until the 20th century. It wasn't until the 1960s that "Ms." appeared as a formal category in the United States on forms.
  - strictnein 9y ago
    You stated: > ""Ms." didn't exist until the 60s" So, yeah... clearly you were talking about formal categories on US forms...
  - mdekkers 9y ago
    ...a formal category in the United States on forms Ah, USA Forms. That well-known global standard.
dragonwriter 9y ago
> consider how the pronoun "Ms." Others have commented about how your timing is off, but also "Ms." is not a pronoun, in any case.

strictnein 10y ago

Do you mean the 1660s? From your link: > ""Ms." began to be used as early as the 17th century, along with "Miss" and "Mrs.", as a title derived from the then formal "Mistress", which, like Mister, did not originally indicate marital status"

unclesaamm 9y ago
Read the full sentence: > "Ms." began to be used as early as the 17th century, along with "Miss" and "Mrs.", as a title derived from the then formal "Mistress", which, like Mister, did not originally indicate marital status. "Ms.", however, fell into disuse in favor of the other two titles and was not revived until the 20th century. It wasn't until the 1960s that "Ms." appeared as a formal category in the United States on forms.
- strictnein 9y ago
  You stated: > ""Ms." didn't exist until the 60s" So, yeah... clearly you were talking about formal categories on US forms...
- mdekkers 9y ago
  ...a formal category in the United States on forms Ah, USA Forms. That well-known global standard.

dragonwriter 9y ago

> consider how the pronoun "Ms." Others have commented about how your timing is off, but also "Ms." is not a pronoun, in any case.