Devoted to technical writing and technical writers

The better half of a union (some cynics would rather use the term bitter half) is referred to as a WIFE.  The origin of this word is interesting because it gives an idea of the role that a female partner played in those early unions. (Probably to the disgust of many a feminist of today, I presume.)

Mankind was known in general by the term mann.  The female partner of a union had many domestic tasks, but among the more prominent among these would be that of Weaving (wifan). It follows that the male would then refer to his female partner as wif-mann. Over time, as usual, the term got shortened or corrupted to the word wife.