I am not a native English speaker and I have sometimes referred to people as male and female (as that is what I have been taught) but I have received some backlash in some cases, especially for the word “female”, is there some negative thought in the word which I am unaware of?

I don’t know if this is the best place to ask, if it’s not appropriate I have no problem to delete it ^^

  • jsomae@lemmy.ml
    0·
    8 months ago

    which ones did I misunderstand the part of speech?

    “female-only” is an adjective phrase where “female” is a noun. Compare “lion-only zoo.” Adjectives don’t work here (× big-only zoo)

    • triplenadir@lemmygrad.ml
      0·
      8 months ago

      A female changing room (noun adjunct)

      Noun adjunct is a noun functioning as an adjective.

      “A male character has no stats difference compared to a female.” (Probably an adjective but arguably not)

      “female [character]” definitely an adjective

      “female-only” is an adjective phrase where “female” is a noun. Compare “lion-only zoo.” Adjectives don’t work here (× big-only zoo)

      Yes “female-only” sounds gross.

      • jsomae@lemmy.ml
        0·
        8 months ago

        A noun adjunct is a noun functioning as an adjective. By contrast, in “a female scientist,” female is an adjective and not a noun adjunct.

        To me, “female-only spaces” sounds like conventional English and I much prefer it to “woman-only” which sounds gross to me. Google NGrams agrees.

        I agree with you regarding the character example.