General Discussion

JustABozoOnThisBus

(24,579 posts)

19. It's strange to see the somewhat new practice of using "they" and "them" as singular.

Thu Feb 25, 2021, 02:42 PM

Feb 2021

Gender is neutralized, cardinality is ignored.

The few pronouns seem to be the only gender-specific parts of English. Nouns are mostly neutral, except for relation nouns like aunt, uncle, mother, husband.

If you can write without gendered pronouns and not make it seem "forcibly hip", you're a better writer than me (a low bar).

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'Françaises, Français': Why the French language need not be so sexist [View all] Klaralven Feb 2021 OP

The C-circumflex does not show up in thread titles. MineralMan Feb 2021 #1

Put in a regular C to make the title more readable. Klaralven Feb 2021 #3

workaround for the cedilla muriel_volestrangler Feb 2021 #10

Thank you! Klaralven Feb 2021 #11

Not quite the debate DarthDem Feb 2021 #4

Well, it is sort of changing the language. MineralMan Feb 2021 #6

It's strange to see the somewhat new practice of using "they" and "them" as singular. JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2021 #19

A lot of it is just using plural nouns, so you can use they and them. MineralMan Feb 2021 #21

To be pedantic (in keeping with many of the replies to this OP!), singular they/them is not new. Emrys Feb 2021 #26

I bow to your pedanticism. Who'd'a thought to look to the 14th century? JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2021 #31

Impossible to change? Act_of_Reparation Feb 2021 #8

Not in the same way French is. MineralMan Feb 2021 #9

I'm not talking about Modern English. Act_of_Reparation Mar 2021 #59

Languages change constantly, through usage. MineralMan Mar 2021 #60

American "equalization" is simpler and in most uses is simplifying Hortensis Feb 2021 #32

I was wondering when this particular aspect Miguelito Loveless Feb 2021 #2

"Gender" in linguistic terms is just a semantic/grammatical label. Emrys Feb 2021 #5

Yes, but the gendered nature of languages has an unconscious impact. MineralMan Feb 2021 #7

It does, but in modern English, gender isn't embedded in the grammar as it is in French. Emrys Feb 2021 #12

Yes. Writers and editors have to pay a lot of attention to usage. MineralMan Feb 2021 #14

True... did you know that... Happy Hoosier Feb 2021 #15

Add it to the pile of more or less useless facts I contributed myself above! Emrys Feb 2021 #24

As someone learning German.... it's a pain in the ass! NT Happy Hoosier Feb 2021 #13

Recite after me: Emrys Feb 2021 #25

Interestingly, it's not "just" a semantic/grammatical label. WhiskeyGrinder Feb 2021 #27

Yes, there are nuances there. Emrys Feb 2021 #30

Interesting. In Spanish it depends often on treestar Feb 2021 #51

Speaking of language issues, the phrase "tabled a bill" needs to die Silent3 Feb 2021 #16

Funny, I did not realize this until the last year or so, with debates over Brexit legislation. tritsofme Feb 2021 #41

This is like the LatinX thing Sympthsical Feb 2021 #17

It's always that way leftstreet Feb 2021 #22

I love when people get offended *for* me Sympthsical Feb 2021 #33

interesting analyisis Skittles Feb 2021 #43

Just my personal experience Sympthsical Feb 2021 #44

I do understand Skittles Feb 2021 #45

Yeah, we're on the same page Sympthsical Feb 2021 #46

Really interesting, we outsiders struggle to see the toxicity apnu Feb 2021 #48

But the thing is, I don't want you to be quiet Sympthsical Feb 2021 #49

You are fucking amazing apnu Feb 2021 #50

I agree with this assessment Skittles Feb 2021 #58

I know a few who use it, they are all under 30 and skinny LeftInTX Feb 2021 #38

Hey now, I love avocado toast Sympthsical Feb 2021 #39

Acting might be the one profession where having masculine and feminine nouns actually makes sense. Midwestern Democrat Feb 2021 #42

Completely agreed Sympthsical Feb 2021 #47

It's coming though! treestar Feb 2021 #53

You've touched on something I loathe Sympthsical Feb 2021 #54

I agree with the notion that acting is not gender neutral, but ... Staph Feb 2021 #55

I'm reminded of a story from Dark Shadows... Dr. Strange Feb 2021 #56

In the new version of The Stand (2020) Staph Feb 2021 #57

There is a lot of that treestar Feb 2021 #52

Good luck with that. jalan48 Feb 2021 #18

English is promiscuous. It accepts new words and grammars without much friction... hunter Feb 2021 #20

Those who write as a profession have style sheets to follow. MineralMan Feb 2021 #23

:) No editors, but a typist for my reports always changed Hortensis Feb 2021 #34

I'm seeing a lot of experimentation in Science Fiction and Fantasy. hunter Feb 2021 #37

I love reading Murakami translations due to similar Sympthsical Feb 2021 #40

Then one would have to go after most European languages EXCEPT English, Dutch and Scandinavian DFW Feb 2021 #28

The Scandinavian situation seems complicated Klaralven Feb 2021 #35

Kick burrowowl Feb 2021 #29

Well, in German, one can call a little girl "it" and a potato "she." NNadir Feb 2021 #36