The abstract to Douglas Hofstadter’s talk at Berkeley Friday is interesting food for thought. As is typical (though he has a wide range of interests), he is speaking about language and thought. His focus will be on the use of the word “guy”, claiming that “this word is perhaps the most deeply sexist term in the entire English language, and the irony is that it is precisely because it seems so innocent that it is so insidious and such a trap, even for sophisticates.” The plural “guys” is often used, and accepted for use, with mixed groups. Heck, I’ve even used it with groups of all females. And I don’t like the word “gal” for some reason. This is an intriguing topic, laced with cultural oddities. As he states: “I cannot think of a single word that so epitomizes the complex relationship between language and thought as this one word in American English.”