this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2024
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One of the comments reads : Actually, we will probably never figure out, was it man or woman. but I thought this comment of the professor was an interesting eye opener. https://mastodonapp.uk/@MarkHoltom/112070436760917344

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[–] demonen@lemmy.ml 49 points 7 months ago (3 children)

It occurs to me that the solution might be to start referring to men as "wermen" again, and revert "men" to it's gender neutral roots. That also means we can have a bunch of other prefixes for other genders.

Languages are fun.

[–] Ultraviolet@lemmy.world 19 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That's also where the "were" prefix in werewolf comes from.

[–] bob_lemon@feddit.de 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Does that mean female werewolves should be called wowolves? (Or even better, woowolves)

[–] Ultraviolet@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

Wifwolves, unfortunately.

[–] TIMMAY@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

just lean all the way in and call us vermin

[–] kibiz0r@midwest.social 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)
[–] hessenjunge@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 7 months ago

Scholars seem to agree it stems from Proto-Indo-European, so Latin is not the source.