not_IO@lemmy.blahaj.zone to Microblog Memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 1 day agothey don't mindlemmy.blahaj.zoneimagemessage-square81fedilinkarrow-up1639arrow-down115file-text
arrow-up1624arrow-down1imagethey don't mindlemmy.blahaj.zonenot_IO@lemmy.blahaj.zone to Microblog Memes@lemmy.worldEnglish · 1 day agomessage-square81fedilinkfile-text
minus-squarebrown567@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up35arrow-down1·edit-221 hours agoThe 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!
minus-squareEbber@lemmings.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·5 hours agoTIL ‘thou’ is second person singular
minus-squarecaptainlezbian@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up14·14 hours agoAt one point in American history the singular they was normal and accepted but the singular you was deeply controversial
minus-squarebrown567@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up6arrow-down1·21 hours agoAs a side note, if I’m talking to you, I won’t be using “they”, that’s only for talking about you
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!
TIL ‘thou’ is second person singular
At one point in American history the singular they was normal and accepted but the singular you was deeply controversial
As a side note, if I’m talking to you, I won’t be using “they”, that’s only for talking about you