[23755] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] alumnus or alumnus for women?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Packy Anderson)
Tue May 27 11:00:09 2003
Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 11:00:06 -0400
Reply-To: Packy Anderson <packy@dardan.com>
From: Packy Anderson <packy@dardan.com>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <000901c3245e$d3294990$ee041e0a@iga.local>
On Tue, 27 May 2003, Mark Stratton wrote:
> I'll tell you my thoughts, but I'm sure I'm wrong. :)
>
> Alumnus = male (singular)
> Alumna = female (singluar)
> Alumni = male (plural) or a group containing both women and men (plural)
> Alumnae = female (plural)
You're not. According to Werriam-Webster:
--
Main Entry: alumnus
Pronunciation: &-'l&m-n&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural alumni /-"nI/
Etymology: Latin, foster son, pupil, from 'alere' to nourish -- more at OLD
Date: 1645
1 : one who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college,
or university
2 : one who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate
--
Main Entry: alumna
Pronunciation: &-'l&m-n&
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural alumnae /-(")nE also -"nI/
Etymology: Latin, feminine of alumnus
Date: 1879
1 : a girl or woman who has attended or has graduated from a particular
school, college, or university
2 : a girl or woman who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate
--
Packy Anderson packy@dardan.com
"When I check into my hotel in Buffalo, I slip the guy
twenty bucks and say, 'Give me a room WITHOUT a view.'"
