tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post3584389736827932886..comments2023-08-14T07:09:57.263-04:00Comments on anything&everything: On the Blight that Is the Third-person Singularkaren lindseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905540909994791438noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-4082678266469119852012-02-27T07:21:28.920-05:002012-02-27T07:21:28.920-05:00i've always been a bit uncomfortable with '...i've always been a bit uncomfortable with 'guys,' though at first it did seem to be appropriating male language. but it's funny that these things don't seem to happen with language originally about women. unless you're being deliberately insulting, you don't say 'hey gals' to men or mixed groups. i think 'guys' has gone maybe to the midway point in changing its meaning, but as long as it retains its exclusive male connotations at all, it's a bit related to the 'universal , 'man.'karen lindseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09905540909994791438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-74484706878784362022012-02-26T19:37:45.244-05:002012-02-26T19:37:45.244-05:00I do not agree that "guys" is "fair...I do not agree that "guys" is "fairly gender-neutral." Only in a sexist world. And, yes, some women may use the word "guys" to refer to both women and men or even just to refer to women. All that shows is that in a sexist society both women and men are socialized into being comfortable with sexist language.Bob Lammhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908445151839588646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4652295937726964782.post-68492098883391208292012-02-26T17:58:08.088-05:002012-02-26T17:58:08.088-05:00Karen, I concur, on both "they/them" and...Karen, I concur, on both "they/them" and the ridiculousness of Google's "CAPTCHA" algorithm (I will have to answer with "IForis oncywhii"...I think...to get this posted).<br /><br />When I wrote my post, as part of the research for it I did find that at least some editors/style guides dislike "they/them" for singular third person usage, and that's probably why in more formal academic texts they are frowned upon and "one" ends up overused. But as you say, that's just the "rulebook," and English changes, which is one of the things I love about it (similar to "dudes," "guys" has been seen as fairly gender-neutral for quite some time now, as in "Hey, you guys want to go get something to eat?)<br /><br />Thanks for the reply!Jim Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02634460171128306060noreply@blogger.com