Emerita vs emeritus Professorette?

A DEEP doff of the mortarboard to the Harris family, four generations of women graduates at Otago (ODT, 16.5.22).

Jolly well done, ladies! Splendid, indeed!

But will you allow me to wonder about emerita vs emeritus Professor?

I tremble to take on the linguistic expertise of the Harris family; but can this distinction be a bit confusing? Especially when one needs to pluralise, with emeriti and emeritae usually pronounced, albeit incorrectly, the same?

I have the vaguest recollection from childhood that Latin allowed a fourth gender, namely ‘‘common’’, which took the masculine form, but was, in fact, gender allencompassing (and to be distinguished from neuter).

There is a nod to this usage in the legend to the photo, referring to ‘‘alumni’’ (not alumnae).

Seeking support from internet sources, it immediately became apparent that this emeritus/alumnus argument remains current, and indeed raging!

And considerable support out there for the feminine forms, emerita and alumna. And yet, an opposing view, one (female) commentator likening emerita to ‘‘professorette’’.

Does the university have a policy apropos? R. Gardner

Waverley

A University of Otago spokeswoman replies:

Many thanks to R. Gardner for congratulating the Harris family on its historic graduation celebration and for the query regarding University of Otago policy.

Under the current University Policy for the Award of the Title of Emeritus Professor, the title awarded is Emeritus Professor.

However, a recipient of this title may choose to use the title Emerita Professor.

This is a matter of personal choice and is fully supported by the University.

Three Waters

WHAT is likely to happen to the Three Waters fiasco once its divided waters reach the governmental sea of everincreasing legislation?

Maybe this Three Waters stunt, which sets up regional authorities in place of improving the quality of the water we drink, is never intended to reach the sea. Instead, possibly its sole purpose is to make us all think the same way — as we would have to do by being forced to drink from the same legislatively tainted waters!

‘‘Won’t that be good!’’ says the Government. ‘‘No more problems because we’ll all think the same way!

No need for elections either — because we’ll all be thinking the same way.

And of course, if we all think the same way then it doesn’t matter what we think because we’ll all go on thinking the same way.

‘‘Why, higher education is already into that state of selfrighteous similitude — although lower education is lagging behind (probably because we haven’t yet honoured our longstanding promise of giving parity to earlychildhood teachers).

Just ask our Minister of Education and he’ll tell you that his own way of doing things (under mandate) and saying things (even concerning Covid) is meant to be this country’s only one way.’’

Meanwhile, don’t take a wrong turning, this is not the same braided river as you would expect any longer of any democracy.

God’s Own Country (on which topic consult our national anthem) is rapidly becoming an area of totalitarian inland drainage (no more than still known by its old name of parliament). Nigel J. Jamieson LL.D. (Otago)

Belleknowes