Word Follies

The Larry Summer's follies at Hah Vud: self-conscious beating on the breasts of lefteous(opposite of righteous) indignation (and outdignation); the intellectual boards-to-the-forehead scourging all round, reminded me of a few other bits of silliness. Words Feminists Overlooked. Manhattan, Manitoba and manatee become...Personhattan, Personitoba and personatee. Menhaden becomes peoplehaden; "Yeah, we netted a mess of peoplehaden. They're good smoked." Hungry? Let's see what's on the personu. Mannikin to personikin, mental to persontal, manganese is personganese, potassium permanganate changes to potassium perpersonganate, ( maybe just personganate). Menorah? Personorah. Mendelssohn? Sorry Felix, Persondelssohn. "Next , the Hebrides overture, by Felix Persondelssohn with the Orchestra of Personchester England, guest conductor Yehudi Personuhin. Followed by Beethoven's Personfred Overture. " (MPR, are you paying attention?)
With words such as perrsonagepersont, complications arise. But press forward bravely. What's unpersonable unpronouncability when our liberties are personaced by the personacles of sexist language? To the barricades!! ......whistling softly...hmm...hmm...hmm. Have they all gone? Will menstruation be corrected? Hysterectomy? Mandate? (Double meanings there.) Does the hunt for the expungible ever end? Thank God this is all just more personure.


.....P.S. That the Post Office jettisoned mailman for letter carrier, instead of simply adding on femailwoman shows a real lack of courage... and no sense of humor.