Comments on: Election tidbits http://blog.greens.org.nz/2005/09/29/election-tidbits/ hopping along the corridors of power Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:27:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: greengage http://blog.greens.org.nz/2005/09/29/election-tidbits/#comment-6588 greengage Thu, 29 Sep 2005 20:52:29 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2005/09/29/election-tidbits/#comment-6588 In case my previous comment may seem a little grumpy, may I say that I much enjoyed the "Election Titbits" blog (among others). It reminds me that one of my grandparents, in the UK 1901 census, put his occupation as "ventriloquist", which I am sure he was not! In case my previous comment may seem a little grumpy, may I say that I much enjoyed the “Election Titbits” blog (among others).

It reminds me that one of my grandparents, in the UK 1901 census, put his occupation as “ventriloquist”, which I am sure he was not!

]]> By: greengage http://blog.greens.org.nz/2005/09/29/election-tidbits/#comment-6587 greengage Thu, 29 Sep 2005 20:28:49 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2005/09/29/election-tidbits/#comment-6587 Do we have to use the American word "tidbit" instead of the good old word "titbit"? I expect it is a case of misplaced "correctness" as the word "tit" also means a breast. Are those small birds to be renamed "tids" ? While I am on my soapbox I would also like to oppose the word "gender" being used instead of "sex". The concept of gender is grammatical: luckily the English language does not use it, whereas in Latin, French, German etc. everything has a gender which may not be the same as its sex! The trouble with using what are conceived as euphemisms is that they eventually take on the same stigma as the original word. When I was a teacher they gave a new word for the class of the lowest stream: "Vocational". Within a week children were using the term "Voc" as a term of abuse and contempt. Do we have to use the American word “tidbit” instead of the good old word “titbit”? I expect it is a case of misplaced “correctness” as the word “tit” also means a breast. Are those small birds to be renamed “tids” ?

While I am on my soapbox I would also like to oppose the word “gender” being used instead of “sex”. The concept of gender is grammatical: luckily the English language does not use it, whereas in Latin, French, German etc. everything has a gender which may not be the same as its sex!

The trouble with using what are conceived as euphemisms is that they eventually take on the same stigma as the original word. When I was a teacher they gave a new word for the class of the lowest stream: “Vocational”. Within a week children were using the term “Voc” as a term
of abuse and contempt.

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