A 12:21 2001-12-01 +0100, Thierry Sourbier a écrit :
>Mike,
>
> > In the column headed "Élément de donnée", the data items
> > corresponding to the codes 1 and 2 are given as "Masculin"
> > and "Féminin". In the English version they are correctly
> > given as "Male" and "Female". Is it not the case that
> > French maintains the same distinction between sex (of
> > living organisms) and gender (of words) as English does?
> > In that case, shouldn't the French words for "Male" and
> > "Female" be shown as "Mâle" and "Femelle", respectively?
>
>The translation "Masculin" and "Féminin" is correct. If the terms "Mâle" and
>"Femelle" are indeed used in France to describe sex of living organisms they
>are not used for human beings and would actually be found quite offending in
>that context. I believe the situation is the same on the other side of the
>Atlantic (unless Alain contradicts me :).
[Alain] Absolutely... "Mâle et femelle" applied to humans is at best
humorous... unless you study humans in a zoological department in a university.
Well, if a "female" said I were "un beau mâle" or even "une belle
bête", I wouldn't be offended, but I would not sleep in the bathtub... (;
Alain LaBonté
Québec
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