June 3, 2002
Just a note of thanks and appreciation for your essay on Men, Women and Fishers in the Words: Woe and Wonder section. Well researched and
written in a most engaging style.
I did sense some sly bating of your own when you claimed that "Christ is
quoted by Matthew as saying 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men'." Who knew that Matthew could write in English?
Stewart Cameron
May 8, 2002
Hi.
I just finished reading your column on the fishermen vs. fishers controversy. (Men, Women and Fishers) I am so glad to hear that it stands as it should.
People with boats who remove fish from large bodies of water are fishermen. Weasels hunted for their fur are fishers. I remember calling one of "the other networks" to complain about calling people fishers. I was told the word had come down from some a--, in Toronto. It's nice to know they aren't all a--es.
Keep the information coming. I very much enjoy reading this page.
Good luck,
Gwen Wolfe
Nova Scotia
September 21, 2000
When the language revisionists at the CBC decided to inflict their
misguided judgement on their viewers by insisting that the word
"fisher" was to replace the word "fisherman" in their newscasts, I knew
that it would would take time before the corporation would come to
its senses and revert to the correct name to describe those who
harvest the bounties of the sea.
I was heartened to hear (Halifax CBC TV's) Linda Kelly use the
word "fisherman" on September 20 in a story about a chap who chained
himself to the mast on the Bluenose II.
Perhaps this is a start in bringing back some measure of language
sanity in news copy that refers to fishing issues in our area.
You can also alert the reporters covering the Burnt Church dispute
that they too can use the term "fisherman" in their news reports.
If Linda can do it and not get burnt at the stake, the rest of
the scribes should take heed and follow suit. CTV, Global, and
even the BBC use the word fisherman and they are not suffering
from it. So let's bury the fishers and reinstate the fisherman.
Jack Hartnett,
Dartmouth N.S.
September 11, 2000
Nicely written article (Men, Women, and Fishers.) So why am I still
hearing "fisher" on the CBC National? It really is like nails on a
blackboard. Has the CBC's affirmative action put too many doctrinaire
feminists in senior positions?
My family has to watch CBC because my wife and I are too cheap to get
cable/satellite. I spend prime time reading a book.
How many sympathetic viewers do you suppose CBC has lost trying to jam newspeak
down our throats? How many would take the time to complain versus simply clicking
the remote; once and forever? Congratulations!
Fraser Weir
Yellowknife, N.W.T.
September 3, 2000
Your article on the CBC's use of fisher and fisherman was amusing. It also serves as excellent reading for anyone who wants to understand why our society is so quickly disintegrating.
The Feminist Critique of the English Language and all its sister publications and the politically correct idiots who espouse and/or accept their views are the sexists. Sexism is prejudice or discrimination on the basis of sex. Accusing the people who introduced words like chairman, fishermen, etc. of sexism because they were likely males is not only to ascribe an intent which can not be proven, but is a blatantly sexist act.
I will allow that many males are sexist and there have been many instances of masculine resistance to women entering fields traditionally male-dominated. However, the number of examples of, say police departments using the term 'policeman' as the rationale for refusing entrance to women, or lumberjacks using the name of their occupation to exclude lumberjills must be miniscule. Even someone stupid enough to be truly sexist to the point of rejecting female chairmen would not put forth so airheaded a reason.
Sexism, like racism and all other prejudices requires intent on the part of the accused, not some sorry-assed whining on the part of a supposedly injured party. Or can I get compensation because there is a Secretary of State for the Status of Women — but not men? A Secretary of State for francophonie — but not English? A Ministry for Indian Affairs — but not for born-in-Canada non Indians?
Enjoy.
Yours truly,
Don Thompson
Calgary
September 1, 2000
Your essay "Men, Women, and Fishers" was interesting and thought
provoking — and annoying. The fact that a woman "fisherman" in
Newfoundland can get so much play with her retro rant against
"politically correct" language is a sad commentary on the mass media.
Our intrepid fisherman/woman's soundbite remarks made for good copy,
but why on earth do so many CBC producers and managers have to run
scared from the word fisher?
Fisher, as the article notes, is a perfectly good word. Indeed, it
is a very good word. The fact that it is already a word is good news
for those who would rid the language of sexist terms.
It is unfortunate that some fishers don't want to be called that. Did they
miss the news that the majority of people in our society have long
since agreed that sexist (racist, homophobic, etc.) terms set up
barriers to women and other groups?
According to your article, "the 1998 Canadian Oxford defines fisher
as a type of weasel or a valuable pelt first, before it gets around
to mentioning people who catch cod, lobster, and the like." What's
your point? The Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, has as
its first definition: "One who is employed in catching fish." The
1997 ITP Nelson Canadian Dictionary's first definition for "fisher"
is: "One that fishes." More significantly, though, recall that terms
like "fire fighter," "letter carrier," and "flight attendant,"
weren't in common use 30 years ago. Each has replaced the
traditional sexist word.
Your article goes on to mention that a producer with CBC Newsworld
won't approve scripts that mention fishers unless the reporters are
talking about weasels. This is simply misguided. This individual is
a Luddite in etymologist's clothing!
Your last paragraph is puzzling. You state that CBC's policy is
clear. I had thought so. As you summarize it, the policy is that:
the editorial staff is to avoid sexual bias in stories except where
people want to be referred to in a particular way.
So how do you come to the conclusion that: "Fishermen is the right
choice until women in the industry start calling themselves fisher"?
Have you polled all woman fishers and determined that each and every
one of them wants to be called "fisherman." CBC policy requires you
to use non-sexist language. If the woman in Newfoundland wants to be
called "fisherman" the policy says to oblige her. But don't make that
an excuse for throwing out the term "fisher."
Kelly Crichton has got it right. "Fisher" is the correct word. Never
mind what the Globe and Mail is doing. You are obligated by your own
policy to use "fisher" unless someone in a particular story prefers
to be called by some other term.
Michael Hale
Editor's Clarification: Although several old versions of the Oxford English Dictionary list a person "employed in catching fish" as the first definition of fisher, this meaning is also clearly labelled "archaic" — a word no longer commonly used. The New Oxford English Dictionary (1998) does not even include fisher as a synonym for fishermen. Neither does the Dictionary of Newfoundland English. The most recent Gage Canadian Dictionary (published in 2000) offers this definition third, after references to animals.
To quote the Canadian Oxford Dictionary: "Definitions are listed in a numbered sequence in order of comparative familiarity and importance."
The entries (and omissions) referred to here and in the column do not mean that fisher is a bad choice today. They simply suggest that many lexicographers believe few people use the word fisher to refer to fishermen — the same assessment Fowler made decades ago. In a debate over whether to resurrect an old definition this fact seems relevant, if only to underscore the challenge.
The column did originally state that CBC's policy is clear. But what's very clear now (based on this letter and conversations with some colleagues) is that it's open to interpretation. It's also very clear that some CBC reporters have been encouraged to use "fisher" regardless of whether individuals have another preference.
August 29, 2000
I am thoroughly disgusted with the CBC's choice of the word "fisher" in the Burnt Church stories.
"Fisherman" has been in the English language for thousands of years. "Fissure" is a crack in the earth's crust and "Fisher" is either someone's name or a ham-fisted attempt to make the English language bend to your left leaning whims.
Get back to reality and communicate in clear and non-pc english.
Stephen Miller
Ontario
August 29, 2000
Fishers are birds. "Non-native fishers" indeed.
Once you have acknowledged, and even celebrated, that people are different, what's the problem with calling them by their right names? Their right names are what they call themselves.
If the CBC can't stop its bloody attempts at Soviet-style mind engineering, with its twisted version of p.c. newspeak, then it can expect to lose what little public support it has left, and go the way of the Soviets . . . .
If you could only perceive how fatuous you all sound with your sonorous self-satisfied droning, eternally smug in the faith you know so much better than the audience.
When there's nobody left to listen, you'll finally be right.
Click (that's off).
Nick Evans
August 28, 2000
Journeys into etymology are something I happen to find fascinating. I'm also quite enjoying the curious contortions we're going through as a society, as we modernize our language to reflect gender sensibilities.
Your essay (Men, Women, and Fishers) clearly demonstrates there are no easy answers, but it also rightly points out that the preferences of title of the individuals being referred to ought to be given primary weight.
That said, I wish to share with the readership across Canada what I personally consider the Palme d'Or of grating non-eloquence. This term, which can be heard several times a day on CBC 1 in Winnipeg, stands unmatched as an outstandingly bad linguistic
compromise, motivated by the best of intentions:
