this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2025
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Microblog Memes

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[–] Soup@lemmy.world 90 points 1 week ago (38 children)

Every single person who complains that “they” is weird has, without the slightest wisp of a shadow of a doubt, said something along the lines of “yeah their coat is just over there” or “I think they were saying that…”. They can already do it, and it’s not hard, they just really wanna hate.

[–] OneOrTheOtherDontAskMe@lemmy.world 30 points 1 week ago (31 children)

I'm fine with 'they', but I think you're misrepresenting the very real problem that is inserting a 3rd-person pronoun as a personal pronoun due to the existing patterns ingrained and interpreted through speech.

It doesn't hurt me to try and make the conscious change, I do actively try for the people in my life, but it DOES flow weird in my brain and takes more mental effort to keep straight. At least, it still does, it might get easier with more time, I don't know.

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[–] brown567@sh.itjust.works 37 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

The singular "they" isn't even the first time English has specifically appropriated a plural pronoun for the singular for the sake of social respect!!!

We don't even use the second person singular "thou" anymore, we just use "you" for both of them!

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago (2 children)

At one point in American history the singular they was normal and accepted but the singular you was deeply controversial

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[–] Damage@feddit.it 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 30 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Damage@feddit.it 21 points 1 week ago

It's an inherited property, so yeah them too

[–] four@lemmy.zip 24 points 1 week ago

"They did a great job on the last project. They are a valuable member of the team"

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemmy.zip 23 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Only weirdos talk to tits, I, as a gentleman, always address each individually (by their preferred pronouns ofc).

/s

[–] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

When he was 2, one of my nephews decided to name my tits after the main characters of his favorite TV show. I thought it was so funny that I still introduce them to partners as Bingo and Rolly.

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[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I have (begrudgingly) gotten used to "singular they". I accept that I am not an authority on how language is used, and this is how the language has evolved. I'd have preferred a separate singular non-gendered pronoun, but I wasn't consulted because, again, not an authority on the subject. It is fine, I will adapt (and have already done so to some degree).

HOWEVER, I still have beef with what happened to "literally" and will bring it up any time semantic shift is the subject of conversation.

[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.blahaj.zone 35 points 1 week ago

Asking "how are they doing" when referring to a singular third person has literally always been normal english. The singular they has basically always been fine and proper english.

[–] echolalia@lemmy.ml 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Shakespeare had no problem with singular they, by the way.

I also found it natural to use before I had a concept of those existing outside the gender binary. "Who left their umbrella?"

Mentioning semantic shift here doesn't seem to do anything but make me imagine you are grandpa Simpson yelling at passing clouds.

[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago

i'm totally grandpa simpson about this. "Literally" is literally a lost cause.

[–] Muaddib@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 week ago

I want to make fun of you for being older than Shakespeare. Even Shakespeare was less of a boomer about singular they

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[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hey! It works! Let me ask my wife if I can refer yo her by her tits she says no.

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago (4 children)

So close. Try, "Hey, babe, do you mind if I refer to this girl online by her tits?"

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[–] kazerniel@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

as the kids say, this sent me 💀

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