A Monday night sighting of the convicted killer who escaped from an eastern Pennsylvania prison nearly two weeks ago jolted the surrounding community into high alert and prompted school closures Tuesday, after police warned the inmate now has a weapon.

  • Skoobie
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    710 months ago

    Honestly, the term is antiquated beyond just being gendered. We say hunt when we really mean search and capture.

    And people make jokes about this but it really can matter. If someone hears there’s a manhunt for Sam Jones, they are more likely to assume it’s a man. It could be a Woman, tho, and using gender neutral terms could help prevent false assumptions.

    • squiblet
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      510 months ago

      A hunt can also just mean a search, like an Easter egg hunt.

      • Skoobie
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        110 months ago

        True, tho I personally think the term takes on a slightly different nuance when applied to something without sentience. We can’t hunt easter eggs in the “kill them” sense because they’ve already been prepped. There’s nothing to kill.

        • squiblet
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          210 months ago

          I was going to say ‘on the hunt for the best cheeseburger in Appalachia’ but that would involve ending the burger. Easter Eggs we don’t usually eat, though… I guess you can…

          • Skoobie
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            110 months ago

            Well that’s just a distinction between ostensible intention and realistic application of the word. Sure, you’re right, but they’d never admit it lol.

    • @BakedGoods@sh.itjust.works
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      -210 months ago

      But manhunt is not a gendered word. Maybe the solution to the misunderstandings you speak of could be Americans learning some damn English.

    • @bobman@unilem.org
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      -810 months ago

      Even if it was just hunt, I’d assume it’s a man because men on average commit more violent crimes than women.

      • @SkyezOpen@lemmy.world
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        710 months ago

        Yeah, MANslaughter is for men! If the woke libs start calling it personslaughter I’m going to boycott it.