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Old 07-27-2012, 07:56 PM   #67
VydorScope
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelSullivan View Post
I'm actually writing a science fiction novel where there are no genders and I have huge problems with pronouns. I tried doing something like himer or shim and it just make the writing clunky. I have a situation where three people are talking and I want one of them to shake their head to indicate no. It's easy to do agreement..."Ban nodded." But what I can't use, "They shook their head" because that may mean multiple people responded negatively.

Having genderless versions of he/she his/hers would be wonderful.
Assuming this is futuristic... would those characters even think about the pronoun or would they just use he/him for everyone? Language adapts with time, so maybe it would have gone that route for them. Or she/her could happen, but probably less likely.

I would say if you want to emphasis the genderlessness, use a made up pronoun. I have read books in the past that have used some mashup of him/her and he/she to do just that. If not, use he/him.
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