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Chris -- 2025-05-10

#1 2006-12-03 21:37:24

msearl
Member
Registered: 2006-12-03
Posts: 2

Thespian/thesbian

In a local newspaper obituary (Livingston County News, New York), I observed that a young man who died was described as a ‘thesbian’. “Thespian” is derived from “Thespis”, a 6th century Greek actor. “Thesbian” seems to indicate a relationship with “lesbian”, which of course would make no sense in an obituary about a young man. However, it might be that people are more familiar with the word lesbian, so it may simply sound more “right” to say thesbian, rather than thespian, which has a rather obscure reference.

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