4 ms·

Shakespeare might like a word... (Alternatively: then why don't we have separate words for black actors, white actors, native American actors, south-east Asian

by jfk13 6y ago

Shakespeare might like a word... (Alternatively: then why don't we have separate words for black actors, white actors, native American actors, south-east Asian actors, transgender actors, and so on?)

booleandilemma 6y ago
Because that would be ridiculous.
mattigames 6y ago
So the path forward is to use "male actors" and "female actors" instead of actors and actresses? Doesn't appear to be a net positive for society, is just making them longer to write and pronounce.
- rsynnott 6y ago
  Or, just... actors? Like, most of the time when you talk about an actor the gender isn’t that relevant.
  - mattigames 6y ago
    I disagree, it's extremely common to ask "what was the actress in that movie we just saw?" (so it's clear they are not asking about the male protagonist) or for awards "who you think is gonna be the best actress this year?" or for castings "what actress your think should be casted for the new remake of Romeo and Juliet?"
    - rsynnott 6y ago
      “Who was that actress in Sex and the City?” This level of specificity probably only works for media in which there’s only one main female character.
      - Grustaf 6y ago
        Just because it isn’t always enough doesn’t mean it’s useless. Cutting the search space in half by choosing a different word is pretty convenient.
  - Grustaf 6y ago
    When you don't care or know about the gender, you do use the word "actor". Like "I thought all Hollywood actors were divas but you're so down to earth". You wouldn't say "actors and actresses", right? Sort of like "model". Most of the time you just say "model" and it could be either sex, but if you want to talk specifically about male models you say that.
Grustaf 6y ago
I am aware. And there are still contexts when all roles are played by male actors (and perhaps the opposite), but that is not really the point here. And we are talking about human language here, it's something that has evolved over centuries, to a large extent spontaneously. That's why we make some distinctions and not others that may seem equally important. If we were talking about a programming language your argument be more relevant, although I would still argue that sex is a much more dramatic difference than race.

by jfk13 6y ago

Shakespeare might like a word... (Alternatively: then why don't we have separate words for black actors, white actors, native American actors, south-east Asian actors, transgender actors, and so on?)

booleandilemma 6y ago

Because that would be ridiculous.

mattigames 6y ago

So the path forward is to use "male actors" and "female actors" instead of actors and actresses? Doesn't appear to be a net positive for society, is just making them longer to write and pronounce.

rsynnott 6y ago
Or, just... actors? Like, most of the time when you talk about an actor the gender isn’t that relevant.
- mattigames 6y ago
  I disagree, it's extremely common to ask "what was the actress in that movie we just saw?" (so it's clear they are not asking about the male protagonist) or for awards "who you think is gonna be the best actress this year?" or for castings "what actress your think should be casted for the new remake of Romeo and Juliet?"
  - rsynnott 6y ago
    “Who was that actress in Sex and the City?” This level of specificity probably only works for media in which there’s only one main female character.
    - Grustaf 6y ago
      Just because it isn’t always enough doesn’t mean it’s useless. Cutting the search space in half by choosing a different word is pretty convenient.
- Grustaf 6y ago
  When you don't care or know about the gender, you do use the word "actor". Like "I thought all Hollywood actors were divas but you're so down to earth". You wouldn't say "actors and actresses", right? Sort of like "model". Most of the time you just say "model" and it could be either sex, but if you want to talk specifically about male models you say that.

Grustaf 6y ago

I am aware. And there are still contexts when all roles are played by male actors (and perhaps the opposite), but that is not really the point here. And we are talking about human language here, it's something that has evolved over centuries, to a large extent spontaneously. That's why we make some distinctions and not others that may seem equally important. If we were talking about a programming language your argument be more relevant, although I would still argue that sex is a much more dramatic difference than race.