# Governor vs. Governess **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813 "2012-04-24T16:28:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SDMBKL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdmbkl/32/7297_2.png) [@SDMBKL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SDMBKL)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/21 "2012-04-25T13:43:38Z")
> [@APB](#): > > That’s your basis misconception. At the time when women who oversaw the education of children in a private household began to be called a ‘governess’, the men who did likewise were just as likely to be called a ‘governor’ as a ‘tutor’. Well, it’s not exactly _my_ basis misconception. It’s not my idea. :rolleyes: I would like to know which century you are describing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/22 "2012-04-25T14:17:58Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > I would like to know which century you are describing. 😃 Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/23 "2012-04-25T15:06:54Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > Well, it’s not exactly _my_ basis misconception. It’s not my idea. :rolleyes: Your misconception is that the words Governor and Governess never had a similar meaning, when in fact they did at one time. At any rate, the answer to “Language: Why?” is as simple and complex as “Because: Culture.” ---
**Author:** ![SDMBKL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdmbkl/32/7297_2.png) [@SDMBKL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SDMBKL)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/24 "2012-04-25T17:11:35Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Your misconception is that the words Governor and Governess never had a similar meaning, when in fact they did at one time. > > At any rate, the answer to “Language: Why?” is as simple and complex as “Because: Culture.” I would prefer that you use the term “a misconception”, not “your misconception”. I prefer using “a”, not “your”, because it is less personal. Honestly, if I really had known that they once meant the exact same thing, just male/female variants of the meaning, then I wouldn’t posted here, would I? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/25 "2012-04-25T19:13:31Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > Well, it’s not exactly _my_ basis misconception. It’s not my idea. :rolleyes: Really? Then whose idea was it? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/26 "2012-04-25T19:19:41Z")
> [@SDMBKL](#): > > I would prefer that you use the term “a misconception”, not “your misconception”. I prefer using “a”, not “your”, because it is less personal. > > Honestly, if I really had known that they once meant the exact same thing, just male/female variants of the meaning, then I wouldn’t posted here, would I? :smack: Then it appears that it is your misconception, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/27 "2012-04-25T19:33:56Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > A similar thing happened with _ducere_, “to lead”. Anybody that duced around all day would be a ductus. If something needed leading, he’d duce the shit out of it. Then someone started calling society’s bosses “Duke”. Today, you wouldn’t call your boss or quarterback a Duke, now would you? Nitpick: the guy doing the ducing would be a _dux_, “leader”. The word _ductus_ is a **passive** participle, meaning “led”. Somebody who follows the _dux_ would be a _ductus_. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813/28 "2012-04-26T11:39:36Z")
I picture a long line of _ducti_ following the quacks. (Or their echos.) 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governor-vs-governess/619813.md?page=1)