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oh... small question. When using 'they' while referring to a single person, how would you do it?
#writing #writingcommunity
@dilmandila
they am coming for supper
@dbc3 sounds like pidgin....;-)
That was kinda my point. While it seems dehumanizing, the obvious choice to me is use the pronoun "it," not "they."
"They is" is pidgin; "they are" exacerbates the already confusing use of a plural form. I get not labelling someone as to genitalia or sexual preferences/ identity, but "they" just does not work for me. I always react "who else is he/she bringing?"
@dbc3 @dilmandila Is "you are" confusing in the singular? Why would it be in third person if it isn't in second?
@pettter @dilmandila
I personally always make a distinction. "You are" to me is singular. "You all are" or "Your whole family are " or "You two are" are collective.
@dbc3 @dilmandila Just caught this… when writing a science fiction novel* in which gender-neutral people figure I created the pronouns ve, vey, vem. Lots of other SF authors do similar.
I totally get and support the need to recognise that some people don't want to be labelled by gender. I often tick 'rather not say' on forms, just because why do they need to ask? But I do find singular they can lead to confusion.
@JonSparks @dbc3 @dilmandila Another reform I'd like to introduce to English: the singular pronouns would be I, U, E.
As in I am, U are, E is.
@carturo222 @JonSparks @dbc3 Some people might read that E as "A" if you go with the vowel sounds in the alphabet; Ah, A, E, Oh, Oooo
@dbc3 pidgin is not dehumanizing. It's the first language of a lot of people in West Africa, particularly Nigeria. "They am coming for supper" sounds like something they would say over there.
But yes, I've got that frown as well when I say 'they are' to mean a single person.
Sometimes I actually say 'We are coming' when I mean 'I am coming' and it gets people confused too, and sometimes I refuse to clarify. ;-))
(chipping in to say)
We accept "you are" for a single person though?
Seems like a non event.
@dilmandila i didn't mean pidgin is dehumanizing; I meant "it" could seem so.
@dilmandila
As an aside, my several Arabic- speaking friends struggle mightily with all the personal pronouns, including "you," "I," and "me." Deciphering a text message can be an adventure.