mountaineer female/woman

[Tarheel]

@White Hat Barque gives good advice.

 

[White Hat]

I know this. And I appreciate it.

 

[emsr2d2]

A mountaineer is a person who climbs mountains regularly, usually someone who takes it quite seriously. People who live in mountainous areas aren't necessarily mountaineers.

I repeat, "mountaineer" in modern speech is only used to refer to mountain climbers (who may well live in a completely flat city when they aren't mountaineering). I've never heard it used to refer to people living in the mountains and if it's used that way, it's very uncommon.

Both of the posts I've quoted above were liked by three native English speakers. That should tell you all you need to know. If you're determined to use "mountaineer", we can't stop you but you need to know that any native English speaker who reads your translation will assume you're talking about someone who climbs mountains, whether for fun or competitively. The result will be the same whether you follow it with "woman" or not. The word "mountaineer" is unisex.

 

[White Hat]

emsr2d2, what about the passages that I provided above? The authors are using this word. And they are native speakers. What's your solution? 'Montain woman'? The article I'm translating is focused on the status of women in mountainous regions in 18th-century Russia.

 

[emsr2d2]

If and when you finally get around to giving us the complete sentence in which you want to use this phrase, we'll be able to help you.

 

[White Hat]

How about this one - "She was a typical mountaineeress, tall, angular and sallow, but there was gleam of intelligence in her face, quite unlike the lacklustreness of the usual woman of the mountains"? I guess I'm just going to go with 'mountaineeress'. You do have people in the UK who live in the mountains, don't you? What do you call them?

 

[SoothingDave]

No. Forget that the word exists.

 

[5jj]

"She was a typical mountaineeress, tall, angular and sallow, but there was gleam of intelligence in her face, quite unlike the lacklustreness of the usual woman of the mountains"

If that's your sentence, then 'mountain woman' is fine.

 

[White Hat]

OK. I'm going with this one. I appreciate it.

 

[White Hat]

Would it also be OK to say 'mountain female'?

 

[5jj]

I wouldn't.

 

[Rover_KE]

I believe most people would interpret "mountaineer" as "mountain climber" and not "inhabitant of a mountainous region".

So do I.

(I think I read it in ‘The Nervous Mountaineer‘ by Alf Hall.)

 

[White Hat]

The problem is that none of the online dictionaries lists this term in the meaning 'a native or inhabitant of a mountainous area' (see it for yourself here) as archaic. Actually, because I don't know much about mountain climbing, I was somewhat surprised to find out that a mountaineer is also someone who climbs mountains for sport. Personally, I would use 'mountain climber' - or even 'alpinist'!

 

[5jj]

.I wonder why you ask our opinions when you seem to go out of your way to reject them once given

 

[Barque]

The problem is that none of the online dictionaries lists this term in the meaning 'a native or inhabitant of a mountainous area' (see it for yourself here) as archaic.

It isn't a problem.

Various native speakers and a non-native who speaks the language regularly (me) have said it doesn't mean an inhabitant of a mountainous area. Why are you reluctant to accept our answers?

Regular usage trumps dictionary definitions. Dictionary definitions go by the book, don't always take custom into account and can't be viewed as completely authoritative. They're a guide. The authority comes from people who speak the language regularly.

 

[White Hat]

Well, I did not reject 'mountain woman', did I?

 

[5jj]

Would it also be OK to say 'mountain female'?

Hey ho.

 

[Barque]

End of thread.

Not your prerogative to say that.

You didn't answer my question.

You've edited your post to delete your statement, "End of thread". I wonder why.

 

[White Hat]

I actually had not seen yours - honestly. I'm happy with the term 'mountain woman'. Thank you, guys.

 

[5jj]

Enough.

Thread closed.