Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT Strips 3626 to 3630 (4th to 8th December 2017)
Gyrre:
--- Quote from: OldGoat on 05 Dec 2017, 10:49 ---
--- Quote from: KevxD on 05 Dec 2017, 01:56 ---On a separate note, I found today's comic quite confusing grammatically. The they/them pronoun usage is going to take some getting used to.
--- End quote ---
As noted before, I've used "they" in its various forms for a neuter third person singular pronoun in writing since about 1988, but I've never had my nose rubbed in just how damn confusing it is until this story arc. I realize now that there's a reason speakers and listeners wanted singulars and plurals to begin with.
I haven't settle on a preference for one of the proposed alternatives, but I'll get there.
But it won't be "mim." Too much Disney baggage there.
--- End quote ---
Futurama writers proposed 'shkle' and 'shkler' in Beast With a Billion Backs, but that's a bit difficult to say. How about nominative 'seh' and possesive 'mir' (sort of rhyming with 'her')?
EDIT: forgot to onclude the nominative.
Perfectly Reasonable:
I find trying to discuss a singular character with plural pronouns to be incredibly awkward. Instead of 'she does' is it supposed to be 'they does'? Or is it 'they do'? (As if Tilly has suddenly grown a second head.)
I am tempted to deny Tilly pronouns altogether. Just 'Tilly' whenever a pronoun might appear in normal English.
"Tilly has no idea what Tilly is supposed to do in the situation that Tilly has found Tilly in."
One would get tired of 'Tilly' very quickly.
..... (um, what?)
Smallest:
--- Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 05 Dec 2017, 19:06 ---I find trying to discuss a singular character with plural pronouns to be incredibly awkward. Instead of 'she does' is it supposed to be 'they does'? Or is it 'they do'? (As if Tilly has suddenly grown a second head.)
I am tempted to deny Tilly pronouns altogether. Just 'Tilly' whenever a pronoun might appear in normal English.
"Tilly has no idea what Tilly is supposed to do in the situation that Tilly has found Tilly in."
One would get tired of 'Tilly' very quickly.
..... (um, what?)
--- End quote ---
"They do." You use the normal conjugation for 'they.'
Smallest:
I'm just going to add onto all the notes re: language here.
--- Quote from: mercykills on 04 Dec 2017, 13:31 ---Ugh, right? I guess we should just be glad they didn't include the word "it". Although I get the feeling they would have if they thought it wouldn't result in an immediate ban. >.>
[I think/hope I cut this quote down correctly and left the right attribution. -S]
--- End quote ---
Using the above quote as an example, people use singular 'they' all the time without confusing anyone. And it doesn't just go back to the 80s as OldGoat mentions; according to "Families in Transition," from Central Toronto Youth Services,* it ('they') has been in use as a gender neutral pronoun for at least 600 years.
I get that this use of 'they' is new to a lot of people here, but 'they' is being used in a completely valid way, both with regards to modern gender terminology and historical use. I understand slipping up (I did in my first post in this thread, but caught it really quick), but there's no reason to keep treating it as weird and difficult.
*normally I'd find a more specific note on the usage but I literally had this next to me
**this isn't directed at any one person, I just reread this thread and winced too many times to not say something
TheEvilDog:
--- Quote from: Perfectly Reasonable on 05 Dec 2017, 19:06 ---
I am tempted to deny Tilly pronouns altogether. Just 'Tilly' whenever a pronoun might appear in normal English.
"Tilly has no idea what Tilly is supposed to do in the situation that Tilly has found Tilly in."
One would get tired of 'Tilly' very quickly.
..... (um, what?)
--- End quote ---
See, denying Tilly pronouns would be almost as bad as using the wrong ones. They have asked that characters in the comic to use They/Them. We should endeavour to do the same. Yes, it might be awkward and difficult changing over, but it is still the right thing to do.
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