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English neutral pronouns: Difference between revisions
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====A==== | ====A==== | ||
'''A''' (nominative form only). "In 1789, William H. Marshall records […] Middle English epicene ‘a’, used by the 14th century English writer John of Trevisa and both the OED and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary confirm the use of ‘a’ for he, she, it, they, and even I. This ‘a’ is a reduced form of the Anglo-Saxon he = ‘he’ and heo = ‘she’.”<ref>Baron, Dennis (1986). Grammar and Gender. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03526-8. as cited by Williams, John (1990s).</ref> <ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418022839/http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html| url=http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html|last=Williams|first=John|archive-date=18 April 2010|title=History - Native-English GNPs|work=Gender-Neutral Pronoun FAQ}}</ref> Some living British dialects still use the gender-neutral "a" pronoun.<ref>{{cite web|title=Epicene pronouns|work=American Heritage Book of English Usage|url=http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html|archive-date=30 June 2008|archive-url= | '''A''' (nominative form only). "In 1789, William H. Marshall records […] Middle English epicene ‘a’, used by the 14th century English writer John of Trevisa and both the OED and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary confirm the use of ‘a’ for he, she, it, they, and even I. This ‘a’ is a reduced form of the Anglo-Saxon he = ‘he’ and heo = ‘she’.”<ref>Baron, Dennis (1986). Grammar and Gender. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03526-8. as cited by Williams, John (1990s).</ref> <ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418022839/http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html| url=http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html|last=Williams|first=John|archive-date=18 April 2010|title=History - Native-English GNPs|work=Gender-Neutral Pronoun FAQ}}</ref> Some living British dialects still use the gender-neutral "a" pronoun.<ref>{{cite web|title=Epicene pronouns|work=American Heritage Book of English Usage|url=http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html|archive-date=30 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630041424/http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html|access-date=29 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
====Ou==== | ====Ou==== | ||
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====Yo==== | ====Yo==== | ||
'''Yo''' (nominative form only). In addition to an interjection and greeting, "yo" is a gender-neutral pronoun in a dialect of African-American Vernacular English spoken by middle school students in Baltimore, Maryland, the student body of which is 97% African-American. These students had spontaneously created the pronoun as early as 2004 and commonly used it. A study by Stotko and Troyer in 2007 examined this pronoun. The speakers used "yo" only for same-age peers, not adults or authorities. They thought of it as a slang word that was informal, but they also thought | '''Yo''' (nominative form only). In addition to an interjection and greeting, "yo" is a gender-neutral pronoun in a dialect of African-American Vernacular English spoken by middle school students in Baltimore, Maryland, the student body of which is 97% African-American. These students had spontaneously created the pronoun as early as 2004 and commonly used it. A study by Stotko and Troyer in 2007 examined this pronoun. The speakers used "yo" only for same-age peers, not adults or authorities. They thought of it as a slang word that was informal, but they also thought of it as just as acceptable as "he" or "she". "Yo" was used for people whose gender was unknown, as well as for specific people whose gender was known, often while using a pointing gesture at the person in question. The researchers collected examples of the word in use, such as "yo threw a thumbtack at me," "you acting like I said what yo said," and "she ain't really go with yo." The researchers only collected examples of "yo" used in the nominative form. That is, they found no possessive forms such as "yo's," and no reflexive forms such as "yoself." As such, "yo" pronouns might be used only in nominative form, similar to another native English gender-neutral pronoun, "[[English neutral pronouns#A|a]]." Either that, or these forms exist, and the researchers just didn't collect them.<ref>Rebecca Hersher, "'Yo' said what?" April 24, 2013. ''NPR: Code Switch''. [http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/04/25/178788893/yo-said-what] [https://web.archive.org/web/20221206111736/http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/04/25/178788893/yo-said-what Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>Elizabeth J. Elrod, "Give us a gender neutral pronoun, yo!: The need for and creation of a gender neutral, singular, third person, personal pronoun." ''Undergraduate Honors Theses'' paper 200. 2014. http://dc.etsu.edu/honors/200 or http://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=honors (PDF)</ref> | ||
===Neopronouns=== | ===Neopronouns=== | ||
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'''Use in fiction:''' In K. A. Cook's short story "Blue Paint, Chocolate and Other Similes," in ''Crooked Words,'' most of the story involves the narrator Ben moving from one set of pronouns to another for Chris as he tries to figure out Chris's gender. When the narrator is trying to determine whether Chris is male or female, Ben alternates between thinking of Chris as he or she. Upon recognizing that Chris identifies as nonbinary, the narrator begins using [[English neutral pronouns#Ze|ze]] pronouns for Chris. Then, Ben finally finds a good moment to ask for Chris's pronoun preference.<ref>K. A. Cook, "Blue Paint, Chocolate and Other Similes." ''Crooked Words.'' Unpaged.</ref> | '''Use in fiction:''' In K. A. Cook's short story "Blue Paint, Chocolate and Other Similes," in ''Crooked Words,'' most of the story involves the narrator Ben moving from one set of pronouns to another for Chris as he tries to figure out Chris's gender. When the narrator is trying to determine whether Chris is male or female, Ben alternates between thinking of Chris as he or she. Upon recognizing that Chris identifies as nonbinary, the narrator begins using [[English neutral pronouns#Ze|ze]] pronouns for Chris. Then, Ben finally finds a good moment to ask for Chris's pronoun preference.<ref>K. A. Cook, "Blue Paint, Chocolate and Other Similes." ''Crooked Words.'' Unpaged.</ref> | ||
'''Use by people:''' In the 2018 Gender Census, 13.8% of respondents chose "mix it up" both alone and in addition to other pronoun choices.<ref name="Census2018">[https://gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide Gender Census 2019 - The Full Report (Worldwide)], April 2019. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230505214027/https://www.gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> Nonbinary artist and activist [[Sasha Alexander]] uses alternating "she/they/he" pronouns,<ref>{{cite tweet|user=BlackTransMedia|number=1163607100053950464|title=What a #blacktranseverything thread thank you sis[...] I don't post photos of myself here yall inspire(d) me so here I go.. I'm sasha founder/one of the co-directors of black trans media, I use she/they/he pronouns + insist that you mix it up or use my name #blacktransloveiswealth|date=19 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="Wicker">{{Cite web |title=TRANS POET SASHA - SHE, HE, THEY |last=Wicker |first=Randolfe |work=YouTube |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=27 April 2020 |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eh6ZNtw1sM|archive-url= | '''Use by people:''' In the 2018 Gender Census, 13.8% of respondents chose "mix it up" both alone and in addition to other pronoun choices.<ref name="Census2018">[https://gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide Gender Census 2019 - The Full Report (Worldwide)], April 2019. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230505214027/https://www.gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> Nonbinary artist and activist [[Sasha Alexander]] uses alternating "she/they/he" pronouns,<ref>{{cite tweet|user=BlackTransMedia|number=1163607100053950464|title=What a #blacktranseverything thread thank you sis[...] I don't post photos of myself here yall inspire(d) me so here I go.. I'm sasha founder/one of the co-directors of black trans media, I use she/they/he pronouns + insist that you mix it up or use my name #blacktransloveiswealth|date=19 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="Wicker">{{Cite web |title=TRANS POET SASHA - SHE, HE, THEY |last=Wicker |first=Randolfe |work=YouTube |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=27 April 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eh6ZNtw1sM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121100124/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eh6ZNtw1sM&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=21 November 2020 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> as does author [[Pat Schmatz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gender-stories/id1353717550?i=1000414998640|date=30 June 2019|access-date=25 May 2020|title=Gender Stories: Writing non-binary|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719114721/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gender-stories/id1353717550?i=1000414998640|archive-date=19 July 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> | ||
'''Forms:''' | '''Forms:''' | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''Emself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''Emself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/e http://pronoun.is/e] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170721055627/http://pronoun.is/e https://web.archive.org/web/20170721055627/http://pronoun.is/e] | ||
===Ey (Elverson pronouns)=== | ===Ey (Elverson pronouns)=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''emself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''emself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/ey http://pronoun.is/ey] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170717021620/http://pronoun.is/ey https://web.archive.org/web/20170717021620/http://pronoun.is/ey] | ||
===Fae=== | ===Fae=== | ||
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'''Variations:''' | '''Variations:''' | ||
* '''Fae, vaer, vaers, vaerself''' was created by | * '''Fae, vaer, vaers, vaerself''' was created by Shade (Tumblr user shadaras) in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|date=1 October 2013|title=So I might possibly have spent today on and off prodding pronouns...|url=https://shadaras.tumblr.com/post/62865192916|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331233621/https://shadaras.tumblr.com/post/62865192916|archive-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> | ||
* '''Fey, fey, feys, feys, feyself''' was recorded in 2014,<ref name="askanonbinary general">[http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/general Ask A Nonbinary's list of unthemed pronouns], captured March 2016 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230527230217/https://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/general Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> of unknown origin. | * '''Fey, fey, feys, feys, feyself''' was recorded in 2014,<ref name="askanonbinary general">[http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/general Ask A Nonbinary's list of unthemed pronouns], captured March 2016 [https://web.archive.org/web/20230527230217/https://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/general Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> of unknown origin. | ||
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*'''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''faerself''. | *'''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''faerself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/fae/faer/faer/faers/faerself http://pronoun.is/fae/faer/faer/faers/faerself] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20180902190005/http://pronoun.is/fae/faer/faer/faers/faerself https://web.archive.org/web/20180902190005/http://pronoun.is/fae/faer/faer/faers/faerself] | ||
===Female pronouns=== | ===Female pronouns=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''himself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''himself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/he http://pronoun.is/he] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170729140747/http://pronoun.is/he https://web.archive.org/web/20170729140747/http://pronoun.is/he] | ||
'''Usage:''' | '''Usage:''' | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''himself or herself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''himself or herself''. | ||
=== | === Hu === | ||
'''Hu, hum, hus, humself''' (or hu, hum, hus, '''huself'''). These singular neutral pronouns were originally coined by Sasha Newborn in 1982. She called the neologisms Humanist as they are [[nounself pronouns]] based on the word (noun) <u>hu</u>man, which is also how they're pronounced. While this pronoun set has not been widely used, a variation (hu, hu) did gain some attention in the 2024 US presidential election, where one candidate offered hu/hu as a pronoun option in a campaign form.<ref>Valerie Richardson, "[https://highergroundtimes.com/higher-ground/2024/aug/15/kamala-harris-presidential-campaign-presses-job-ap/ Hu/hu? Harris for President campaign presses job applicants to pick zir pronouns]", Aug 15, 2024. Higher Ground Times.</ref> | |||
'''Use by nonbinary people:''' A variation where ''hum'' is pronounced like the existing word hum, rather than like hew, has gained some traction. | |||
'''Forms:''' | |||
* '''Nominative:''' ''Hu'' loves hiking and climbing. | |||
* '''Accusative:''' I have no idea what they said to ''hum''. | |||
* '''Pronominal possessive:''' It's hard to believe someone stole ''hus'' car. | |||
* '''Predicative possessive:''' It's easy to believe the car is ''hus''. | |||
* '''Reflexive:''' Each of us needs to consider this ''humself''. | |||
'''On Fandom:''' https://pronoun.fandom.com/wiki/Humanself | |||
'''On Pronouns:''' https://en.pronouns.page/hu | |||
'''On Pronouns List:''' https://pronounslist.com/hum-hum | |||
'''On Universal English:''' https://universalenglish.org/gender-neutral-english-pronouns/ | |||
=== It === | |||
'''it, it, its, its, itself'''. This standard English set of genderless pronouns is used for inanimate objects, animals, and human infants. During Dickens’ time, these were also acceptable pronouns for older human children and spirits of the dead, as these permutations of humanity were seen as not really male or female. This pronoun is not male or female. Using it for an adult human is often seen as an insult, dehumanizing. While considered offensive by most, some nonbinary people use "it" as a means of reclamation and to challenge the idea that genderlessness is inherently dehumanizing. | '''it, it, its, its, itself'''. This standard English set of genderless pronouns is used for inanimate objects, animals, and human infants. During Dickens’ time, these were also acceptable pronouns for older human children and spirits of the dead, as these permutations of humanity were seen as not really male or female. This pronoun is not male or female. Using it for an adult human is often seen as an insult, dehumanizing. While considered offensive by most, some nonbinary people use "it" as a means of reclamation and to challenge the idea that genderlessness is inherently dehumanizing. | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''itself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''itself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/it http://pronoun.is/it] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170810062945/http://pronoun.is/it https://web.archive.org/web/20170810062945/http://pronoun.is/it] | ||
===Male pronouns=== | ===Male pronouns=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''perself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''perself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/per http://pronoun.is/per] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170711180841/http://pronoun.is/per https://web.archive.org/web/20170711180841/http://pronoun.is/per] | ||
===She=== | ===She=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''herself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''herself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/she http://pronoun.is/she] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170730145111/http://pronoun.is/she https://web.archive.org/web/20170730145111/http://pronoun.is/she] | ||
===S/he=== | ===S/he=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''thonself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''thonself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [ http://pronoun.is/thon ] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [ https://web.archive.org/web/20190909212705/http://pronoun.is/thon ] | ||
===Ve=== | ===Ve=== | ||
There are several sets of pronouns that use "ve" in the nominative form, the earliest of which was created in 1970.<ref> | There are several sets of pronouns that use "ve" in the nominative form, the earliest of which was created in 1970.<ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.28036096 (Everywoman, Vol 1, Issue 1, May 8, 1970. Page 2, middle of left side, under the heading "Manglish".) [https://web.archive.org/web/20201102034750/http://voices.revealdigital.com/cgi-bin/independentvoices?a=d&d=BFGIFEB19700501.1.2&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------------1 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> In the 2019 Gender Census, 24 participants (0.2%) used a set of pronouns starting with ''ve''.<ref name="Census2018"/> | ||
'''ve, ver, vis, vis, verself''' is the exact set used by Egan, Hulme, and Reynolds (see below). The set's date of creation and creator are not yet known to the editors of this wiki. A nearly-identical but incompletely recorded set was '''ve, vir, vis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created in 1970, and published in the May issue of ''Everywoman.''<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref><ref name="d baron epicene"></ref> | '''ve, ver, vis, vis, verself''' is the exact set used by Egan, Hulme, and Reynolds (see below). The set's date of creation and creator are not yet known to the editors of this wiki. A nearly-identical but incompletely recorded set was '''ve, vir, vis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created in 1970, and published in the May issue of ''Everywoman.''<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref><ref name="d baron epicene"></ref> | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''verself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''verself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/ve http://pronoun.is/ve] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170619065210/http://pronoun.is/ve https://web.archive.org/web/20170619065210/http://pronoun.is/ve] | ||
===Xe=== | ===Xe=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''xyrself''. (Or feeds ''xemself''.) | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''xyrself''. (Or feeds ''xemself''.) | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/xe http://pronoun.is/xe] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170731193720/http://pronoun.is/xe https://web.archive.org/web/20170731193720/http://pronoun.is/xe] | ||
===Ze=== | ===Ze=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''hirself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''hirself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/ze http://pronoun.is/ze] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170523031355/http://pronoun.is/ze https://web.archive.org/web/20170523031355/http://pronoun.is/ze] | ||
===Zie=== | ===Zie=== | ||
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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''zirself''. | * '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''zirself''. | ||
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/zie http://pronoun.is/zie] | '''On Pronoun Island:''' [https://web.archive.org/web/20170719212704/http://pronoun.is/zie https://web.archive.org/web/20170719212704/http://pronoun.is/zie] | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||