The Psychology of Gender Pronoun Usage

[GeorginaS]

I'm used to Alex as a girls name.

I can't imagine a bloke being called Sandy though. Must be a Welsh thing.

Sandy, is, in my experience, more commonly a man's name than a woman's name, here in Canada. I'd further say that the English and the Scots and the French had a much larger influence on us than the Welsh, so, based on no real evidence, and entirely anecdotal, limited sample observation, I'm going to say your "Welsh thing" isn't accurate.

 

[JaredJames]

This:

Sandy, is, in my experience, more commonly a man's name than a woman's name, here in Canada. I'd further say that the English and the Scots and the French had a much larger influence on us than the Welsh,

Doesn't agree with:

I'm going to say your "Welsh thing" isn't accurate.

If anything, your above proves my "Welsh thing" correct.

 

[JaredJames]

I've just found a use for Facebook finally.

I searched for Sandy (the search is centred around my Welsh location) and the top results it pulled up were women followed by pages for women.

Result 40(ish) is the first bloke and that's linked from my university location (London) and he appears Arabic.

 

[cobalt124]

Nope, and I don't think Sandy is gender neutral (like I said, cultural thing) - never heard a dude called it before, actually only heard one girl and that's in Grease.

there's Sandy Lyle, golfer.

 

[Gokul43201]

I'm used to Alex as a girls name.

I can't imagine a bloke being called Sandy though. Must be a Welsh thing.

In Wales, Sandy is commonly used an abbreviation for Sandpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Try that in your Facebook search.

 

[JaredJames]

In Wales, Sandy is commonly used an abbreviation for LaTeX Code: Sandpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogo goch . Try that in your Facebook search.

I'm impressed.

EDIT: I sh*t you not, it gave me one result - ok it was for the actual place - but a result none the less.

 

[cobalt124]

And I thought Sandy Lyle was Welsh, he must be Scottish. We need a gender neutral form of she/he. "one" works sometimes but can seem cumbersome.

 

[JaredJames]

He's Scottish.

 

[lisab]

I'd like to it to be put on records that she, Jimmy Snyder, is a sexist pig.

Noted.

 

[GeorginaS]

This:


Doesn't agree with:


If anything, your above proves my "Welsh thing" correct.

Or maybe my early morning, under-caffeinated brain misunderstood you when you wrote "It must be a Welsh thing" and thought that the "Welsh thing" was the existence of males named Sandy and not the opposite.

Okay, so later in the day, but not much less cloudy, does that therefore mean you're Welsh, Jared? (Just for my own personal sake of clarity, humour me, please.)

 

[JaredJames]

Okay, so later in the day, but not much less cloudy, does that therefore mean you're Welsh, Jared? (Just for my own personal sake of clarity, humour me, please.)

I certainly am.

I like to think of myself as the Welsh contingent of PF - haven't noted any others from there at least.

 

[lisab]

I certainly am.

I like to think of myself as the Welsh contingent of PF - haven't noted any others from there at least.

An army of one .

 

[rootX]

When writing, I use "he/she". However, there are many other good words like person, user, human.

 

[lisab]

When writing, I use "he/she". However, there are many other good words like person, user, human.

In more formal writing I use "he" but I try to structure the sentences so it's not required. Can't be helped sometimes, though.

 

[rootX]

In more formal writing I use "he" but I try to structure the sentences so it's not required. Can't be helped sometimes, though.

I can't recall any sentence that required he/she. But, passive sentences fix this issue for most of the times.

 

[Chi Meson]

I strongly support the acceptance of the now "vulgar" use of the singular "they."

as in

"If a runner drops the baton during the relay, they will usually pick it up again even though they know they have just crushed their teammates' hopes and dreams."

"Anyone driving through New York City will notice they haven't a chance in hell of finding a parking space."

 

[mugaliens]

I strongly support the acceptance of the now "vulgar" use of the singular "they."

as in

"If a runner drops the baton during the relay, they will usually pick it up again even though they know they have just crushed their teammates' hopes and dreams."

"Anyone driving through New York City will notice they haven't a chance in hell of finding a parking space."

Vulgar? I think this use of non-gender specific pronouns dates to my 2nd-grade reader book, back in the 60's, while describing the actions of a generic, non-gender-specific person.

It wasn't considered "vulgar" for second-graders back then. It certainly shouldn't be considered vulgar now.

As a writer (and former editor), my point of view / choice is to use gender where it's either known, or specific, and using plural non-gender-specific pronouns such as "they" is entirely appropriate. I do, however, consider the use of "it" for any sentient being to be insulting (except in the most generic terms, wait for it), except when it's a non-gender-specific, or a combined gender entity, such as "It's testing positive" when referring to lab cultures.

 

[mugaliens]

I like to think of myself as the Welsh contingent of PF...

Really! Years ago I worked a summer with a girl from Wales. Her English was perfect, but with the most disturbing, yet beautiful lilts of any accent I've ever heard. She ended many sentances with a sharp upward pitch, whether she was asking a question or not. It that common among the Welsh?

 

[Phrak]

I'll be ding donged before I refer to observers A and B conducting a quantum correlation experiment as "Alice" and "Bob", nor manage any respect for who would push their weird-*** sexual mis-education, until Alice gets off her bum between shopping experiences, and does some notable physics as Bob has managed on occasion.

 

[Proton Soup]

i support the vulgar use of the singular "she"

as in

"that's what she said"

 

[Phrak]

i support the vulgar use of the singular "she"

as in

"that's what she said"

why?

 

[Chi Meson]

Vulgar? I think this use of non-gender specific pronouns dates to my 2nd-grade reader book, back in the 60's, while describing the actions of a generic, non-gender-specific person.

It wasn't considered "vulgar" for second-graders back then. It certainly shouldn't be considered vulgar now.

Unfortunately, the use of "they" as a singular is still a huge "no no" by most english teachers. It is not yet "accepted" by the "authorities." In fact I am greatly surprised that a singular "they" would have been in a 2nd-grade reader, though more likely in the 60's than now.

 

[Alan1000]

Sandy Koufax? I guess I can't expect a Briton to know US baseball players.

When the gender is unknown, I tend to use the word "they" as a gender-neutral third person pronoun, and I don't care what the grammar manuals say.

I suppose a Briton who wanted to be an all-round Trivial Pursuit champion might take the trouble to learn the names of US baseball players...

 

[Alan1000]

Nope, and I don't think Sandy is gender neutral (like I said, cultural thing) - never heard a dude called it before, actually only heard one girl and that's in Grease.


I try to 'mix it up', use a bit of everything. Keep it even.

How about Sandy North, all-American pioneer hero in Champion, The Wonder Horse? (Better shut up while I'm ahead - showing my age now).

 

[Alan1000]

Unfortunately, the use of "they" as a singular is still a huge "no no" by most english teachers. It is not yet "accepted" by the "authorities." In fact I am greatly surprised that a singular "they" would have been in a 2nd-grade reader, though more likely in the 60's than now.

Quite right too. Who in their right mind would want to say "They has discovered" or "These results is consistent with... "? Or conversely, and for the sake of verbal impartiality, "This experiment have proved... "?

The English language is the most demanding and sophisticated tool that you and I will ever use in the course of our daily work. You can throw in your lot with the majority, and bend the knee to the Tyranny of Mediocrity, or you can learn to use it with the same skill that a bricklayer brings to the trowel, or a surgeon, to the scalpel. Choose.

 

[Chi Meson]

Quite right too. Who in their right mind would want to say "They has discovered" or "These results is consistent with... "? Or conversely, and for the sake of verbal impartiality, "This experiment have proved... "?

The English language is the most demanding and sophisticated tool that you and I will ever use in the course of our daily work. You can throw in your lot with the majority, and bend the knee to the Tyranny of Mediocrity, or you can learn to use it with the same skill that a bricklayer brings to the trowel, or a surgeon, to the scalpel. Choose.

Wherefor hast thou spoken with such vulgarity?

 

[JaredJames]

Really! Years ago I worked a summer with a girl from Wales. Her English was perfect, but with the most disturbing, yet beautiful lilts of any accent I've ever heard. She ended many sentances with a sharp upward pitch, whether she was asking a question or not. It that common among the Welsh?

Until you mentioned it I hadn't really noticed, but I'd say there's a general trend.

My English, in fairness, is better than a lot of 'English' people I meet. But the accent kills it. For example, I've spent ages in bars in London asking for a glass of Coke and have the bar staff look at me stupid and ask "you want a glass of cork?". You'll also note that anyone with a Welsh accent pronounces "ear" and "here" as "year".

Unfortunately, the use of "they" as a singular is still a huge "no no" by most english teachers. It is not yet "accepted" by the "authorities." In fact I am greatly surprised that a singular "they" would have been in a 2nd-grade reader, though more likely in the 60's than now.

I know it's not taught, but I'm not sure if it's marked down or not.

How about Sandy North, all-American pioneer hero in Champion, The Wonder Horse? (Better shut up while I'm ahead - showing my age now).

I'm Welsh so have no idea who that is.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Unfortunately, the use of "they" as a singular is still a huge "no no" by most english teachers. It is not yet "accepted" by the "authorities." In fact I am greatly surprised that a singular "they" would have been in a 2nd-grade reader, though more likely in the 60's than now.

The use of scare quotes around "authority" is a good idea given that no such "authorities" exist. However, I get the feeling that you are willing to fill the gap. In that case, be aware that I will not "accept" it. The use of the word 'they' to indicate a singular is a feature of the language. The goal of a linguist is to describe the rules of a language, not make them. And that is what they do.

 

[Chi Meson]

The use of scare quotes around "authority" is a good idea given that no such "authorities" exist. However, I get the feeling that you are willing to fill the gap. In that case, be aware that I will not "accept" it. The use of the word 'they' to indicate a singular is a feature of the language. The goal of a linguist is to describe the rules of a language, not make them. And that is what they do.

No sir! I claim no such "authority," and I am aghast that I may have implied that I did. I am truly in the camp of "descriptive linguistics," which is why I am in favor of the use of the singular "they," not against it. I am truly surprised that this was not clear. This is a common spoken application across the English speaking world. So common in fact, that a person might not even notice when they use it. Invented forms of a neutral pronoun are clumsy and would never "catch on" since they are "prescriptive" in nature, and natural languages are disgusted by prescriptions.

 

[Char. Limit]

Quite right too. Who in their right mind would want to say "They has discovered" or "These results is consistent with... "? Or conversely, and for the sake of verbal impartiality, "This experiment have proved... "?

The English language is the most demanding and sophisticated tool that you and I will ever use in the course of our daily work. You can throw in your lot with the majority, and bend the knee to the Tyranny of Mediocrity, or you can learn to use it with the same skill that a bricklayer brings to the trowel, or a surgeon, to the scalpel. Choose.

But that's not how we use the singular they. It's more like this.

"Whoever stole my lunch from the refrigerator, they are in big trouble!"