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brethren

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:50 pm
by drsved
Someone today wrote, "She was a true brethren to us all." When I objected, two people responded "Well, better than cistern." I said that was less of a problem to me than using it as a single noun. "We were among her brethren" would have been OK....

Re: brethren

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:26 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Agreed. Never heard it used like that. I would have expected, "She was a true sister to us all." Maybe a local-ism or from a group with brother or brethren in the name?

Re: brethren

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:09 pm
by Slava
Brethren/cistern is, of course, an oldie, though I don't think I've ever heard of it actually being used. Wouldn't it be Sistren, anyway?

Re: brethren

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:45 pm
by Philip Hudson
Yes Slava, it would be Sistren, and it has had wide usage in a humerous vein since I was a tad. Here is another area where sexism/antisexism is encroaching on our language.