| I don't have access to oed.com - the definition you picked seems to explicitly refer to gender So, does the word "female" prescribe gender? or not? Or is the idea that some such definitions might exist, and therefore such words are to be avoided? On that basis, there are 14 meanings for "pregnant", so how does this not have the same problem? > If the word red had 24 such distinct meanings Are the meanings for "female" all distinct? > As descriptive texts they will always lag behind use in practice ok, so you are talking about common usage? What else can it "lag behind"? |
If you have a point to make then I would rather you simply state it and stand by it. As it is it feels like you're trying to bait me into admitting a fault in my own reasoning using a series of first principle questions. If you see a problem with my logic then please come forward with it, I have neither the time nor the energy to engage in your socratic dialogue.