[Ads-l] Gender-neutral pronouns was :Mx to be sanctified by the OED

[Jonathan Lighter]

Kind of obsessive-compulsive, wouldn't you say?

Which does not mean I wouldn't take cash for coining more options as
desired.

JL

JL

On Mon, May 11, 2015 at 8:06 AM, Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Amy West <medievalist at W-STS.COM>
> Subject:      Gender-neutral pronouns was :Mx to be sanctified by the OED
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On 5/8/15 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> > Date:    Thu, 7 May 2015 16:21:33 +0000
> > From:    Joel Berson<berson at ATT.NET>
> > Subject: Mx to be sanctified by the OED
> >
> > According to the Sydney Morning Herald, as reported by Stuff of NZ (com=
> plete article):
> >
> > -----
> > The Oxford English Dictionary will consider including the gender neutra=
> l title "Mx" in the next edition, to represent transgender people and tho=
> se who don't identify by gender.
> >
> > The gender neutral honorific pronounced mux, will be an alternative to =
> the traditional Miss, Mrs, Ms and Mr.
> >
> > The pronoun 'hen' was recently added to the official Swedish language d=
> ictionary as an alternative to the male 'han' and the female 'hon.'
> >
> > Up until now, those who do not identify as gender specific have had no =
> gender neutral title to choose from.
> >
> > Assistant editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, Jonathan Dent, told =
> the Sunday Times the gender neutral title will be considered for inclusio=
> n in the dictionary's next edition.
> >
> > Mr Dent said it would be the first stable of honorifics to be accepted =
> in recent history.
> >
> > The OED adds new words each year based on the popularity of their use.
> >
> > Last year, 'vape' =E2=80=93 meaning to inhale and exhale the vapour pro=
> duced by an electronic cigarette =E2=80=93 was added. In 2013, the OED re=
> vealed 'selfie' as its word of the year.
> > -----
> >
> > http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/68340425/gender-neutral-mx-may-be-added-to=
> -oxford-english-dictionary
> >
> > I don't think mux of the pronunciation.  (If Mx can be applied to trans=
> gender people, a better pronunciation would be "mix".)
> >
> > ? What does "stable" mean?  And if he used it, I think Mr. Dent needs t=
> o add his meaning to the OED.
> >
> >
> > Another article is at:
> >
> > http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/oxford-english-dictionary-soon-incl=
> ude-gender-neutral-title-mx/
> > (Among other things, this one allows "mix" as a pronunciation, and does=
> n't use the word "stable.)
> >
> > Joel
> In January I was at Arisia, a Boston fan-run SF con and they had pronoun=20
> ribbons for attendees/members to wear attached to their badges: In=20
> addition to the male/female singular (he/him/his; she/her/hers) and=20
> plural options (they/them/theirs) there were:
>
> xe/xem/xyrs
> ey/em/eirs
> ze/zir/zirs
>
> ---Amy West
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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