December 18, 2004

Hooray for Semantics

Good thing:

Woman Charged in Stolen Fetus Case

An infant believed to be the fetus cut from a murdered woman's womb was reunited with her father late Friday after a frantic search, and authorities arrested the woman they say strangled the mother and stole the child.

Well, at least one victim survived. Of course, she has to grow up without a mother now thanks to the murderous freak who took her, but...it's better than being dead, I guess.

Now, I have one question: WHY ARE THEY STILL CALLING THE BABY A FETUS? Would they say this if it had been born the normal way?

"Congratulations, it's a fetus!"

It's out of its mother's body, it breathes on its own, it's been alive for quite a while now...why call it a fetus?

Even the "conservative" Fox News site doesn't seem to get it. Look here:

fe·tus ( P ) Pronunciation Key (fts) n. pl. fe·tus·es

2. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after conception to the moment of birth, as distinguished from the earlier embryo.

I don't think I have to say anything else.

(NOTE: If it seems like I'm angrier about the terminology being used by the media than I am about the act in question, please see yesterday's post. Thank you.)

Posted by CD on December 18, 2004 02:39 PM
Category: General Stupidity
Semi-Intelligent Comments

Next thing you know, babies born six weeks premature will still be referred to as a "fetus" until they're a month and a half old.

Posted by: Army NCO Guy at December 18, 2004 03:51 PM

"Now, I have one question: WHY ARE THEY STILL CALLING THE BABY A FETUS? Would they say this if it had been born the normal way?"

They aren't "still" calling it a fetus, you quoted yourself, "An infant believed to be the fetus cut from a murdered woman's womb". While she was in her stomache she was a fetus. After she was cut from the womb, she became a baby. It's not egnimatic, so figure it out.

Posted by: tyler at December 19, 2004 02:30 AM

I used the word "semantics" for a reason, but they shouldn't call it a "stolen fetus," since it can't be a fetus once it's been stolen. I was complaining about them using the words interchangeably.

Posted by: CD at December 19, 2004 06:11 AM
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