Society dictates

Question

Would it be correct to say that "society dictates" Is dictate what could be said in this sentence?
Is this sentence grammatical?

Society dictates that baby boys are to be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue shouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.

Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Would it be correct to say that "society dictates" Is dictate what could be said in this sentence?
No,
Society's conventions require that . . .

Is this sentence grammatical? No, although it is sometimes said.

Society dictates that baby boys are to be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, thisshouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.

Anonymous · Answer

If it is incorrect to say society dictates, how would you properly write the sentence?

Society dictates that baby boys are to be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, thisshouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.

Is this what I should say

Society's conventions require that

I couldn't find any examples.

Could you tell me how to say:

Society dictates that men are to make more money than women and that women should stay home.

I don't if it's society I should use or convention dictates or something else.

Thank you

Clive · Answer

Here's how I see it.

Society's conventions require . . .
A convention is a relatively trivial matter. i see a focus on the blue/pink colours as relatively trivial.

requires is a weaker word than dictates, and to my mind fits better when speaking of a convention.

If you are less concerned with just the colours, and instead want to focus on the deeper fact that society almost forces parents to identify children as male or female, 'see this is more than just a mere convention.
I'd say Society dictates . . .
______________________________________________________________________

Could you tell me how to say:

Society dictates that men are to make more money than women and that women should stay home.

I don't if it's society I should use or convention dictates or something else.

In my society, this concern used to be a convention,but no longer is. Women today expect and have achieved much more equality.

In addition, I wouldn't refer to 'society' as supporting these ideas, because roughly half are women and I doubt that they all supported these ideas.

Anonymous · Answer

Would you leave out 'are to'?
Grammatically speaking, how would you phrase the 2 though? To you is this more of a convention? Here is what I mean, people assume that your baby is a boy if he is wearing blue. Is that a convention or would you say society dictates?

1 Society's convention require [that/for] baby boys ~~are to~~ be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, thisshouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.
2 Society dictates that baby boys ~~are to~~ be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, this shouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.

Which is correct to you then?
In the olden/old days, society's convention was that men were to make more money than women and that women should stay home.
In the olden/old days, society's convention required that men were to make more money than women and that women should stay home.
In the olden/old days, society's convention required that men made more money than women and that women should stay home.

Thank you very much

Clive · Answer

Would you leave out 'are to'? Either way is OK.

Grammatically speaking, how would you phrase the 2 though? To you is this more of a convention? Here is what I mean, people assume that your baby is a boy if he is wearing blue. Is that a convention or would you say society dictates?

I see it as just a convention.. Anyway, lots of baby boys and girls wear other colours, eg green, yellow.

1 Society's convention require [that/for] baby boys ~~are to~~ be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, thisshouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.
2 Society dictates that baby boys ~~are to~~ be dressed in blue and girls in pink. Just because a baby girl is dressed in blue, this shouldn't be a reason to mistake her for a boy.

Which is correct to you then?

In the old/olden days is not natural. Say eg formerly.

Just say 'the convention' and it will be assumed to be 'society's convention'.

In the olden/old days, society's convention was that men were to make more money than women and that women should stay home. OK. But sounds to me like two conventions.

In the olden/old days, society's convention required that men were to make more money than women and that women should stay home. OK

In the olden/old days, society's convention required that men made more money than women and that women should stay home. No

Society dictates

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