Alphabetical Entries: S

there is no parallel term—nor any expressed condemnation—for the men who are the "partners in crime" of scarlet women.

see ditz/ditzy.

person who has/with schizophrenia; never use "schizophrenic" as an adjective for a person. Identify someone as having schizophrenia only if it has been formally diagnosed and is relevant to your material. In addition, "Schizophrenia is not characterized by dual personality and to perpetuate this myth is a great disservice to those persons already suffering from a brain disorder" (Helen L. Klanderud, in Conscience). The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression says, "Schizophrenia does not mean 'split personality...' Instead it is "an illness with a biological cause, like cancer or heart disease..." It is one of the most common mental illnesses—about 1% of the world population will develop it, according to the alliance. In the United States, more than 2 million people suffer from this disease in a given year. Schizophrenia causes more hospitalization than almost any other illness. Schizophrenia involves incoherent, hallucinatory, delusional thinking; never use it to denote a split, dual, binary, or otherwise divided personality, and avoid using it metaphorically in non health issues.See also disabilities, handicapped, mental illness.

woman or man.

man or woman.

this term and its lesser-known euphemism, "schmo," are reserved for men; they are from the Yiddish for "penis," which is why Yiddish-speaking individuals don't use it in polite company. To non-Yiddish-speakers, the term means something like "stupid jerk." It might be better to use that.

schoolchild, schoolmate, classmate, peer, youngster, elementary school child, child.

schoolteacher, teacher, educator, instructor, tutor, principal.

a common scold was legally defined as a troublesome, angry woman who broke the public peace (and the law) with her brawling and wrangling and was punished by public ducking (Abby Adams, An Uncommon Scold); a woman was booked (but not convicted) on a common scold charge as recently as 1971 in the United States.

instead of this, use for a woman the term you would use for a man in the same situation: chide, reprimand, lecture, admonish, criticize, remonstrate, upbraid, chew out, rebuke, chastise, give a piece of one's mind, lay down the law.

the concept of scoring (a man "getting" or "having" a woman sexually) underlies much that is skewed with female-male relations. Thinking of a woman in this way makes her a notch on the bedpost; she is certainly not a partner in any meaningful sense. Lack of mutuality underlies a "score" ("Man is the hunter; woman is his game," wrote Alfred Lord Tennyson in The Princess). "Score" is also an inclusive term for the client of either sex of a male or female prostitute. See also lay/easy lay/good lay, sex object, sexual conquest.

a contraction of "Scottish," this term is not in high favor although it is accepted in certain fixed expressions (for example, "Scotch whisky"). It is always avoided in reference to people. See also Scotsman, Scottish.

Scot, Scotlander, inhabitant of Scotland, Scotsman/Scotswoman. Plural: Scots, Scotlanders, inhabitants of Scotland, Scotswomen and Scotsmen. This form is preferred to "Scotchman/Scotchwoman." See also Scotch, Scottish.

this adjective is acceptable for referring to Scotland or its people, language, or culture. "Scots" is the Scottish shortened form, "Scotch" the English (and thus less acceptable) form. Whether to use "Scots" (informal) or "Scottish" (formal) depends on your style.

girl or boy. See also Girl Scout.

scoutleader.

script supervisor; continuity, continuity supervisor. Note the nonparallel "girl/man."

there is nothing wrong with using this colorful and highly evocative name, but be aware of how many such expressions in the English language are male-based. Balance their use with female-based expressions, creative expressions of your own, or sex-neutral alternatives: tightwad, money-grubber, penny pincher, pinchpenny, miser, skinflint, cheapskate, piker, cheeseparer. See also sex-linked expressions.

sculptor. See also feminine word endings.

seafarer, sailor, enlisted sailor, naval recruit, mariner, merchant mariner, marine, navigator, pilot, tar, salt, gob, captain, skipper, mate, first mate, crew member, deck hand, boater, yachter. "Seaman" and "seaman recruit" are official U.S. Navy terms, but refer to either sex.

apprentice sailor/crew member, marine apprentice. "Seaman apprentice" is an official Navy term used for both sexes.

shipshape, sailor-like. Or, be specific: tidy, orderly, skilled.

navigation/ship-handling skills, marine strategy, navigational/ship-handling/sailing expertise/techniques.

seamster, sewer, tailor, mender, alterer, stitcher, alterations expert, custom tailor, clothier, dressmaker, fashion sewer, garment worker/maker/designer, needleworker.

from Arlie Hochschild's The Second Shift, this term refers to the unpaid job a woman comes home to after a day of paid work. The idea that women work two—or three—shifts is not new. In 1918, Alexandra Kollontai wrote, "The wife, the mother, who is a worker, sweats blood to fill three tasks at the same time: to give the necessary working hours as her husband does, in some industry or commercial establishment, then to devote herself as well as she can to her household and then also to take care of her children" (in Eleanor S. Riemer and John C. Fout, European Women). See also housewife, housework, working father, working mother/working wife/working woman.