I am not a native English speaker and I have sometimes referred to people as male and female (as that is what I have been taught) but I have received some backlash in some cases, especially for the word “female”, is there some negative thought in the word which I am unaware of?

I don’t know if this is the best place to ask, if it’s not appropriate I have no problem to delete it ^^

  • triplenadir@lemmygrad.ml
    5·
    10 months ago

    the only examples here which don’t sound completely gross are the ones where you misunderstood the part of speech…

    • jsomae
      1·
      10 months ago

      which ones did I misunderstand the part of speech?

      “female-only” is an adjective phrase where “female” is a noun. Compare “lion-only zoo.” Adjectives don’t work here (× big-only zoo)

      • triplenadir@lemmygrad.ml
        1·
        10 months ago

        A female changing room (noun adjunct)

        Noun adjunct is a noun functioning as an adjective.

        “A male character has no stats difference compared to a female.” (Probably an adjective but arguably not)

        “female [character]” definitely an adjective

        “female-only” is an adjective phrase where “female” is a noun. Compare “lion-only zoo.” Adjectives don’t work here (× big-only zoo)

        Yes “female-only” sounds gross.

        • jsomae
          11·
          10 months ago

          A noun adjunct is a noun functioning as an adjective. By contrast, in “a female scientist,” female is an adjective and not a noun adjunct.

          To me, “female-only spaces” sounds like conventional English and I much prefer it to “woman-only” which sounds gross to me. Google NGrams agrees.

          I agree with you regarding the character example.