Pedants' Paradise

[JFLL]

But emeritus isn't such a word, is it? It's gendered, whether you like it or not.

But is it gendered in English? I think I'd take the view that emeritus, like professor, is an English word when used in an English sentence, and hence indeclinable, like all attributive adjectives in English. In a similar case, my feeling is that we wouldn't normally say emeriti professors (still less emeriti professores) but emeritus professors. Only people who like to show off their knowledge Latin grammar would say emeriti, I think. I'd also find it pedantic in the extreme to say 'the data are difficult to interpret'. But I would say alumni, because alumnuses sounds so odd! Illogical, I know.

[jean]

I think professor could count as an English word in its own right, but emeritus is still too clearly Latin.

I find that professors emeriti is used - and in respect of a linguistics department, too!

When I was in Italy, I used to rather like being referred to as professoressa, which is definitely an Italian word not a Latin one. I'm not sure what they do with emeritus, because you don't have to have advanced very far up the teaching hierarchy to be a professor, a word used for all kinds of humble teachers.

.

[jean]

But it's used for real professors as well! And they give an Italian ending to the accompanying adjective. This is from the University of Bologna's website:

Status giuridico di Professore Emerito

In Italia la figura del Professore Emerito è stata definita nel Regio Decreto 31 agosto 1933 n. 1592 (pubblicato nel Supplemento ordinario del 7 dicembre 1933 n. 283) riguardante l’approvazione del testo unico delle leggi sull’istruzione superiore...

And yet, in the English-language version, this is what they say:

Professors Emeriti

The Professor Emeritus is an academic figure generally found in all universities worldwide. International tradition bestows the title of Emeritus to the highest academic grade as a final recognition of particularly prestigious scientific and university careers. The title of Emeritus is bestowed after retirement according to similar legal criteria adopted by the universities of different countries according to their specific systems. Often the title allows the retired professors to continue cooperating in university activities, allowing them to use the services of departments and the universities.
ofessors to continue cooperating in university activities, allowing them to use the services of departments and the universities.

Legal status of Professor Emeritus

In Italy, the figure of Professor Emeritus was defined in Royal Decree no. 1592 of 31 August 1933 (published in Ordinary Supplement no. 283 on 7 December 1933) on the approval of the amalgamated law on higher education...

[DracoM]

Why is this not on the pedants' thread? We left Kafka some time ago.

[jean]

I know. Back in #6 I said:

(Sorry, this really should be on the Pedants thread!)

But I can't do it unaided.

[french frank]

I know. Back in #6 I said:


But I can't do it unaided.

I was just going out shopping, but I'll pause for a moment ...

[french frank]

One point is that professor emeritus is an academic term, not one that has passed into everday English. Both emeritus and emerita are accepted titles for women. In fact, I read an example yesterday of a woman becoming a professor emeritus but can't remember who it was

[jean]

This is a bit of a minefield for us feminists.

On the one hand, because English is (mostly) not a gendered language, feminine forms are marked, and they usually indicate an inferior role - that's why a woman who's mayor in her own right (as was said in a couple of posts that didn't make it over here) can't be a Lady Mayoress.

On the other, if a form which is clearly masculine is the only one used, it looks as if only men can really fulfil these roles.

[french frank]

On the other, if a form which is clearly masculine is the only one used, it looks as if only men can really fulfil these roles.

And on the other, if you have a separate word it suggests that they are not doing the same job: only men can be actors; women have to be actresses. Similarly authors/authoresses, and the more dated poet/poetess.

French feminists appear to think differently, e.g.: Différents décrets en Belgique francophone, en France, en Suisse et au Québec ont proposé de féminiser la fonction et le titre de professeur : qui prend alors la forme « professeure ». I have heard that supported by a French professeure.

Ordinary French would have la professeur, just as it has un enfant or une enfant (I've never heard 'une enfante', pace the BBC's Pavane Pour Une Enfante Defunte ). If you wish to be formal, it seems to me that Madam Mayor is preferable to ardcarps's mother's Mister Mayor.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Our Latin teacher at school would try to "translate" our names into Latin, and call us by these. My surname translated as a 1st declension (i.e. feminine) noun, which I found a little humiliating, but the teacher explained that when adjectives were used to describe me, these must be used in their masculine forms (as in the case of rogue house like agricola).

Most confusing.

[jean]

...My surname translated as a 1st declension (i.e. feminine) noun, which I found a little humiliating...

You did?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You did?

Yes - I was a 12-year old boy, and my peers went around declining the noun, emphasising the word "feminine". Children are often like that.

[Padraig]

Yes - I was a 12-year old boy, and my peers went around declining the noun, emphasising the word "feminine". Children are often like that.

Keeping on topic, E A, you could have lapsed into Irish and asserted: Is cailín mé agus tá 'cailín' firinscneach. I am a girl and 'girl' is masculine.
You could have gone on to explain that firinscneach is the adjective from the noun firinscne, which is feminine.
Fir is the genitive of fear, a man, which is masculine.
No confusion there, E A!

[jean]

That must be the word we write as colleen.

I know German Mädchen is neuter, because it's a diminutive. And I know gender isn't the same as sex. But masculine seems to be going a bit far!

[Padraig]

That must be the word we write as colleen.

I know German Mädchen is neuter, because it's a diminutive. And I know gender isn't the same as sex. But masculine seems to be going a bit far!

Right about colleen jean. Pronunciation matters! In the South they say ' colyeen' for 'cailín'; while here in the North we say 'calyeen'. The South prevails.

The word is masculine gender in that it is treated grammatically as such. For example, feminine nouns are lenited by the (definite) article 'an' - there is no indefinite article in Irish. A hen is 'cearc'; the hen is 'an chearc'; but the girl is 'an cailín'. Of course, once identified the girl reassumes her rights.