Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 17:13:24 -0500
From: Alan Baragona baragonasa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VAX.VMI.EDU
Subject: Re: Ms.

Beverly Flanigan wrote:

Our department chair(man) always signs himself 'Chair' or 'Chairperson'
(ah, those enlightened linguists!). Again, I don't really think the change
is as problematic as suggested, nor has there been (re: Alan) "widespread
reinterpretation" of 'Ms.'


Beverly:

I have only anecdotal evidence and and a strong impression that Ms. has
simply come to mean "Miss" for numerous people, perhaps more than it
means "Mrs./Miss" for, but other people on the list seem to be
reinforcing my impression that the trend is, in fact, widespread, and
maybe especially in the South. Why do you think it is not?

Alan