MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Is it time English adopt a genderless pronoun?

frahse · 07-20-2012, 10:41 PM

I am a little surprised no one has brought up the old "thou," "thee," or "thine."

I am not so surprised that there was only one slight attempt to address my real question above which is about that group of people that don't obviously identify directly as male or female and cause difficulties when people attempt to speak or write about them.

An example: In the last few days Warren Beatty and Annette Bening's daughter turned son (transgender son) spoke in an interview. During the interview this person identified as a "q." Actually said in the interview "I identify as a "Q." That is one of those words that draw criticism if some people say them though others can use them with no problem. (Note please that I didn't spell it out.) Those words fall into a category that vexes some, white straight males in particular. i.e. rappers and African Americans use the "n" word all the time but I dare not lest I be attacked and my business boycotted. All that though is another thread and I will leave it at that.

Beatty's original daughter/now son

This young person has not had physical transformation surgery yet, and speaks of having babies, but is referred to in the article as a male.

The question I am raising is how do we indicate officially in a "short definitive manner" that a person who acts or looks like one type is actually not that type. How do we indicate that there could be an issue if some assumptions are made.

There is the categorization problem as indicated below.
"Unknown" isn't exactly right if you know know what the person is physically and how they act. Still others might not.
"Undecided" isn't quite right either for the person may have strong beliefs and detailed plans."
"Difficult" might be considered an insult. Likewise "muddled" and complicated.
"Other" isn't too bad.

Then there is the pronoun.
One way is to substitute an "x" for the "h" in he. This is kind of scientific in a way.
"xe"
Then she becomes:
"sxe" but that looks like a parody or a play on "sex."

My next thought was taking the neutral word "person" and modifying it.

"per" works pretty good, I think.
You can pronounce it, and it is pretty indefinite and gives everyone an idea that there is more there than appears to the eye.

So my vote is for
"other" - category
"per" - pronoun

07-20-2012, 10:41 PM	#32
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	I am a little surprised no one has brought up the old "thou," "thee," or "thine." I am not so surprised that there was only one slight attempt to address my real question above which is about that group of people that don't obviously identify directly as male or female and cause difficulties when people attempt to speak or write about them. An example: In the last few days Warren Beatty and Annette Bening's daughter turned son (transgender son) spoke in an interview. During the interview this person identified as a "q." Actually said in the interview "I identify as a "Q." That is one of those words that draw criticism if some people say them though others can use them with no problem. (Note please that I didn't spell it out.) Those words fall into a category that vexes some, white straight males in particular. i.e. rappers and African Americans use the "n" word all the time but I dare not lest I be attacked and my business boycotted. All that though is another thread and I will leave it at that. Beatty's original daughter/now son This young person has not had physical transformation surgery yet, and speaks of having babies, but is referred to in the article as a male. The question I am raising is how do we indicate officially in a "short definitive manner" that a person who acts or looks like one type is actually not that type. How do we indicate that there could be an issue if some assumptions are made. There is the categorization problem as indicated below. "Unknown" isn't exactly right if you know know what the person is physically and how they act. Still others might not. "Undecided" isn't quite right either for the person may have strong beliefs and detailed plans." "Difficult" might be considered an insult. Likewise "muddled" and complicated. "Other" isn't too bad. Then there is the pronoun. One way is to substitute an "x" for the "h" in he. This is kind of scientific in a way. "xe" Then she becomes: "sxe" but that looks like a parody or a play on "sex." My next thought was taking the neutral word "person" and modifying it. "per" works pretty good, I think. You can pronounce it, and it is pretty indefinite and gives everyone an idea that there is more there than appears to the eye. So my vote is for "other" - category "per" - pronoun