[Ads-l] Should ze be in the dictionary?

Robin Hamilton robin.hamilton3 at VIRGINMEDIA.COM
Thu Oct 20 16:23:08 UTC 2016


"Ze" can be pronounced [zee] without twisting the tongue, as can (in a related
context) "Ms." [mizz].  

I think this may be the determining factor as to which pronouns gain general
acceptance (and so stroll, stride, or limp into The Dictionary), and which do
not.

I'm a They sorta person, myself.

Robin

(The Thing With The Ambiguous Name)

> 
>     On 20 October 2016 at 16:56 Jesse Sheidlower <jester at PANIX.COM> wrote:
> 
>     <SNIP>
> 
>     I know several people who prefer to use "ze" or other "coined" epicene
> pronouns for self-reference, and quite a number who use these esp in cases of
> referring to an indeterminate antecedent. I don't know that this rises quite
> to the level of "a lot", but it's certainly out there.
> 
>     Jesse Sheidlower
> 
>     ------------------------------------------------------------
>     The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> 

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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