The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.0312  Monday, 4 February 2002

From:           Robin Hamilton <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Friday, 1 Feb 2002 00:01:12 -0000
Subject: 13.0296 Re: Distinctions
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.0296 Re: Distinctions

> So, 'freemartin' seems appropriate. But does it make the actor a woman?

I think the term has to be specific to a sterile female -- OED2 doesn't
note this, but at some point I'm pretty sure it broadened out from oxen
to generic female mammals.

Robin

PS:

"freemartin:   Vertebrate Zoology. a sexually imperfect, usually sterile
female calf that is born as a twin with a male."

"NOUN: A sterile or otherwise sexually imperfect female calf born as the
twin of a bull calf."

(American Heritage Dictionary)

etc.

(I think I must have originally encountered the term in Huxley -- sorry,
don't have a copy of _Brave New World_ on my shelves to check --

<< Freemartin Involuntary Sterilization - sterile female - by design "In
the vast majority of cases, fertility is merely a nuisance". BNW Page
13. >>

http://members.aol.com/educationdoctors/page12.html

R2)

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, 
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
The S H A K S P E R Webpage <http://www.shaksper.net>

DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the
editor assumes no responsibility for them.