Well. Me thoroughly enjoyed this episode and, as usual, the fun bits o' media you add for embellishment and elucidation. Just finished listening to the audiobook version of PRONOUN TROUBLE which is another triumph in the McWhorter canon!
If I encounter a they/them out in the wild, why is the onus on me to speak incorrectly? They/them still speak of themself (?!?! 🤯) in the first person singular. It's absurd.
"My pronouns are they/them."
"OUR pronouns are they/them."
The inconsistencies and inaccuracies are too much for my feeble brain.
And what’s with this “you” taking the singular, when it’s obviously always been plural? Only “thou” is singular! It’s absurd. Sincerely, your counterpart, circa 1350 AD ;)
When "they" is used as singular, the verb that goes with it should also be singular.
For example: My friend is a beekeeper. They love the honey. No: They loves the honey.
Just listened to the great review by the Economist!
Bought the book after listening to the interview with Jonah Goldberg
Looking forward to reading it
Well. Me thoroughly enjoyed this episode and, as usual, the fun bits o' media you add for embellishment and elucidation. Just finished listening to the audiobook version of PRONOUN TROUBLE which is another triumph in the McWhorter canon!
If I encounter a they/them out in the wild, why is the onus on me to speak incorrectly? They/them still speak of themself (?!?! 🤯) in the first person singular. It's absurd.
"My pronouns are they/them."
"OUR pronouns are they/them."
The inconsistencies and inaccuracies are too much for my feeble brain.
😂 I wasn't going to mention it; some things just make me sound old.
And what’s with this “you” taking the singular, when it’s obviously always been plural? Only “thou” is singular! It’s absurd. Sincerely, your counterpart, circa 1350 AD ;)
Correcting myself: More like 1550 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/You