Is “human-made” an appropriate, non-gendered alternative to “man-made”?
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Surprisingly, this word returns very few "meaningful" results on Google (like texts, blog posts, articles, etc) using it. It seems to be a new word. Yet, the OED gives no hits.
Is this an appropriate non-gendered alternative to man-made? For instance,
Poverty is a human-made phenomenon.
Since it still contains the word "man", some might say it is not. Yet, to my understanding, human has a much broad meaning than just a male person.
single-word-requests gender-neutral
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
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Surprisingly, this word returns very few "meaningful" results on Google (like texts, blog posts, articles, etc) using it. It seems to be a new word. Yet, the OED gives no hits.
Is this an appropriate non-gendered alternative to man-made? For instance,
Poverty is a human-made phenomenon.
Since it still contains the word "man", some might say it is not. Yet, to my understanding, human has a much broad meaning than just a male person.
single-word-requests gender-neutral
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
2
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
1
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11
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up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Surprisingly, this word returns very few "meaningful" results on Google (like texts, blog posts, articles, etc) using it. It seems to be a new word. Yet, the OED gives no hits.
Is this an appropriate non-gendered alternative to man-made? For instance,
Poverty is a human-made phenomenon.
Since it still contains the word "man", some might say it is not. Yet, to my understanding, human has a much broad meaning than just a male person.
single-word-requests gender-neutral
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
Surprisingly, this word returns very few "meaningful" results on Google (like texts, blog posts, articles, etc) using it. It seems to be a new word. Yet, the OED gives no hits.
Is this an appropriate non-gendered alternative to man-made? For instance,
Poverty is a human-made phenomenon.
Since it still contains the word "man", some might say it is not. Yet, to my understanding, human has a much broad meaning than just a male person.
single-word-requests gender-neutral
single-word-requests gender-neutral
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
asked Jul 26 '17 at 15:12
luchonacho
7951620
7951620
2
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
1
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11
add a comment |
2
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
1
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11
2
2
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
1
1
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11
add a comment |
3 Answers
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I agree with Chris H but artificial is a gender-neutral way of saying man made, equating to engineered - while man-made itself is meant to be gender-neutral.
Can we drop questions of man-made, human-made or the sense of mankind, not male person?
Man once meant person and now does mean male person but why is that a reason to invent new terms? Why not resurrect the old meaning, rather as with Miss, Mrs, Ms?
Can we recognise wife isn’t opposed to husband; each is a contraction, one of wifman, one of husbandman?
Husbandman meant person who looks after (stuff) while wifman meant person who weaves.
See that person? How is that difficult?
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
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This is really a matter of opinion. I'll give mine with some reasoning
I try to be careful with gender assumptions in writing, but would still use man-made if a synonym such as artifical didn't work (as it doesn't here). This means I consider man in man-made to have the sense of mankind (the human race) not male person.
Human-made would not present any difficulties in understanding, however dropping a neologism into the middle of a text does disrupt the flow of readin (in my opinion). You could use it if you wanted to make a real commitment to gender neutrality (though there are a very few people whi wouldn't human as it contains --man; you'd probably end up with people-made before you could please them).
But then maybe man is correct in this case (poverty); look at the gender distribution of power and wealth now and historically.
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
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There is no gender neutral alternative to man-made, especially not human-made. I base this solely on George Orwell's Politics and the English Language which has 6 advanced ninja-level rules for writing really well. The 6th rule is: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Human-made is barbarous.
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
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protected by tchrist♦ Jul 29 '17 at 20:47
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
accepted
I agree with Chris H but artificial is a gender-neutral way of saying man made, equating to engineered - while man-made itself is meant to be gender-neutral.
Can we drop questions of man-made, human-made or the sense of mankind, not male person?
Man once meant person and now does mean male person but why is that a reason to invent new terms? Why not resurrect the old meaning, rather as with Miss, Mrs, Ms?
Can we recognise wife isn’t opposed to husband; each is a contraction, one of wifman, one of husbandman?
Husbandman meant person who looks after (stuff) while wifman meant person who weaves.
See that person? How is that difficult?
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
accepted
I agree with Chris H but artificial is a gender-neutral way of saying man made, equating to engineered - while man-made itself is meant to be gender-neutral.
Can we drop questions of man-made, human-made or the sense of mankind, not male person?
Man once meant person and now does mean male person but why is that a reason to invent new terms? Why not resurrect the old meaning, rather as with Miss, Mrs, Ms?
Can we recognise wife isn’t opposed to husband; each is a contraction, one of wifman, one of husbandman?
Husbandman meant person who looks after (stuff) while wifman meant person who weaves.
See that person? How is that difficult?
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
accepted
up vote
4
down vote
accepted
I agree with Chris H but artificial is a gender-neutral way of saying man made, equating to engineered - while man-made itself is meant to be gender-neutral.
Can we drop questions of man-made, human-made or the sense of mankind, not male person?
Man once meant person and now does mean male person but why is that a reason to invent new terms? Why not resurrect the old meaning, rather as with Miss, Mrs, Ms?
Can we recognise wife isn’t opposed to husband; each is a contraction, one of wifman, one of husbandman?
Husbandman meant person who looks after (stuff) while wifman meant person who weaves.
See that person? How is that difficult?
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
I agree with Chris H but artificial is a gender-neutral way of saying man made, equating to engineered - while man-made itself is meant to be gender-neutral.
Can we drop questions of man-made, human-made or the sense of mankind, not male person?
Man once meant person and now does mean male person but why is that a reason to invent new terms? Why not resurrect the old meaning, rather as with Miss, Mrs, Ms?
Can we recognise wife isn’t opposed to husband; each is a contraction, one of wifman, one of husbandman?
Husbandman meant person who looks after (stuff) while wifman meant person who weaves.
See that person? How is that difficult?
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
answered Jul 27 '17 at 0:18
Robbie Goodwin
2,0701416
2,0701416
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
This is really a matter of opinion. I'll give mine with some reasoning
I try to be careful with gender assumptions in writing, but would still use man-made if a synonym such as artifical didn't work (as it doesn't here). This means I consider man in man-made to have the sense of mankind (the human race) not male person.
Human-made would not present any difficulties in understanding, however dropping a neologism into the middle of a text does disrupt the flow of readin (in my opinion). You could use it if you wanted to make a real commitment to gender neutrality (though there are a very few people whi wouldn't human as it contains --man; you'd probably end up with people-made before you could please them).
But then maybe man is correct in this case (poverty); look at the gender distribution of power and wealth now and historically.
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
This is really a matter of opinion. I'll give mine with some reasoning
I try to be careful with gender assumptions in writing, but would still use man-made if a synonym such as artifical didn't work (as it doesn't here). This means I consider man in man-made to have the sense of mankind (the human race) not male person.
Human-made would not present any difficulties in understanding, however dropping a neologism into the middle of a text does disrupt the flow of readin (in my opinion). You could use it if you wanted to make a real commitment to gender neutrality (though there are a very few people whi wouldn't human as it contains --man; you'd probably end up with people-made before you could please them).
But then maybe man is correct in this case (poverty); look at the gender distribution of power and wealth now and historically.
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
This is really a matter of opinion. I'll give mine with some reasoning
I try to be careful with gender assumptions in writing, but would still use man-made if a synonym such as artifical didn't work (as it doesn't here). This means I consider man in man-made to have the sense of mankind (the human race) not male person.
Human-made would not present any difficulties in understanding, however dropping a neologism into the middle of a text does disrupt the flow of readin (in my opinion). You could use it if you wanted to make a real commitment to gender neutrality (though there are a very few people whi wouldn't human as it contains --man; you'd probably end up with people-made before you could please them).
But then maybe man is correct in this case (poverty); look at the gender distribution of power and wealth now and historically.
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
This is really a matter of opinion. I'll give mine with some reasoning
I try to be careful with gender assumptions in writing, but would still use man-made if a synonym such as artifical didn't work (as it doesn't here). This means I consider man in man-made to have the sense of mankind (the human race) not male person.
Human-made would not present any difficulties in understanding, however dropping a neologism into the middle of a text does disrupt the flow of readin (in my opinion). You could use it if you wanted to make a real commitment to gender neutrality (though there are a very few people whi wouldn't human as it contains --man; you'd probably end up with people-made before you could please them).
But then maybe man is correct in this case (poverty); look at the gender distribution of power and wealth now and historically.
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
answered Jul 26 '17 at 15:37
Chris H
16.8k43171
16.8k43171
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
There is no gender neutral alternative to man-made, especially not human-made. I base this solely on George Orwell's Politics and the English Language which has 6 advanced ninja-level rules for writing really well. The 6th rule is: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Human-made is barbarous.
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
There is no gender neutral alternative to man-made, especially not human-made. I base this solely on George Orwell's Politics and the English Language which has 6 advanced ninja-level rules for writing really well. The 6th rule is: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Human-made is barbarous.
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
There is no gender neutral alternative to man-made, especially not human-made. I base this solely on George Orwell's Politics and the English Language which has 6 advanced ninja-level rules for writing really well. The 6th rule is: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Human-made is barbarous.
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
There is no gender neutral alternative to man-made, especially not human-made. I base this solely on George Orwell's Politics and the English Language which has 6 advanced ninja-level rules for writing really well. The 6th rule is: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Human-made is barbarous.
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
answered 31 mins ago
K Dog
26119
26119
add a comment |
add a comment |
protected by tchrist♦ Jul 29 '17 at 20:47
Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
2
man-made is wrong here anyway. Man-made is really for things, not states of affairs. Poverty is a phenomenon for which humans are responsible or created by humans.
– Lambie
Jul 26 '17 at 15:58
1
For climate change "anthropogenic" is used.
– Martin Smith
Jul 26 '17 at 18:24
I'm with @Lambie ... that this isn't a good place for "man-made" in it's generally understood meaning, let alone the gender issues. "man-made" pretty much means "manufactured" (and I don't think that needs to be turned into "humanufactured"). For your sentence I might choice "society" or "societal", or "socially created" phenomenon . These sorts of word choices are a matter of opinion to some degree, but at least those are my suggestions.
– Tom22
Jul 26 '17 at 23:11