Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
chair (n., v.)
Both the verb, meaning “to preside over (a meeting),” and the noun, meaning “the person presiding,” are Standard, but the noun, the clipped and once Colloquial form of chairman, has undergone a great increase in use and an amelioration to full Standard status in recent years, thanks to our search for inclusive language. See INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE; SEXIST LANGUAGE.
