UNNERVING TYPO

Re: “Sex, Murder and Motherhood” by Ralph Brave [spring 2002]

I thoroughly enjoyed [the article about Professor Sarah Blaffer Hrdy] touching on anthropological topics dear to my heart since my undergraduate days at UCD many years ago. Her frank appraisal of the sociobiological variations between man and woman is truly valuable toward the understanding of the subtle nuances of human evolution.

On page 29, however, I noticed what I hope to be an unintended typo in Mr. Brave’s quoted passage: “large, enervated clitorises combined with a capacity for sexual pleasure.”

“Enervated” means to devitalize or to deprive of strength and vigor. I am hoping that the proper word intended would have been “innervated,” which means to supply bodily parts with nerves or stimulation of said nerves.

Kudos to Ms. Hrdy’s wonderful work on primates!

Yes, indeed, the word should have been “innervated.” The quote, and misspelling, was from Professor Hrdy’s book The Woman That Never Evolved—which is no excuse for us having missed the error. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

GEOLOGISTS FOR THE ARTS

I was particularly pleased to read the article in the spring 2002 magazine about the geology department’s contribution to the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. I have the unique position of having earned graduate degrees from both the geology and music departments at UC Davis, and to me this gift epitomizes an already great relationship between the two departments. Geology students, both undergraduate and graduate, and faculty have a distinguished history of playing in the UCD Symphony, Concert Band and Marching Band-Uh, and several faculty are already donors to the UCD Symphony Endowment. This contribution makes me proud to be affiliated with both of these departments, and next time I come to campus I will be sure to stop by and sit on the geology department’s bench outside of the new hall.