Comments on: Why I say she http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/ Random musings from the radical feminist Christian antiracist left - some having to do with Ubuntu Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:44:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jhuni http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/comment-page-1/#comment-5033 jhuni Mon, 11 May 2009 07:26:20 +0000 http://ubuntucat.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/why-i-say-she/#comment-5033 If a human is seen then it should be taken and it should be put in jail, which is where it and the rest of its kind deserves to be! I think using it can be even more degrading then using "he" or using "she" because it implies that the person is less then human. I use "he or she" which is the bulky way to go. Using "he or she" isn't really that big of a deal for me because I can type with over ninety words per minute =/ If a human is seen then it should be taken and it should be put in jail, which is where it and the rest of its kind deserves to be!

I think using it can be even more degrading then using “he” or using “she” because it implies that the person is less then human. I use “he or she” which is the bulky way to go. Using “he or she” isn’t really that big of a deal for me because I can type with over ninety words per minute =/

]]> By: ubuntucat http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/comment-page-1/#comment-35 ubuntucat Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:46:24 +0000 http://ubuntucat.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/why-i-say-she/#comment-35 Yes, English especially tends to morph its rules and conventions quite quickly, so I'm optimistic. I use <i>she</i> in the present, but I'm actually hoping in the future that <i>it</i> (or something like it, but more human) will evolve to be the standard. Yes, English especially tends to morph its rules and conventions quite quickly, so I’m optimistic. I use she in the present, but I’m actually hoping in the future that it (or something like it, but more human) will evolve to be the standard.

]]> By: emvigo http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/comment-page-1/#comment-34 emvigo Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:15:36 +0000 http://ubuntucat.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/why-i-say-she/#comment-34 It was a pleasure. I was surprised when I saw this post because I thought this discussion was just in Spanish. Anyway, languages evolve through their speakers, so maybe in future English will only have "she" (or something derived from there). Or maybe not; that's the beautiful thing in languages. (and a good reason why I'm a philology student!) It was a pleasure. I was surprised when I saw this post because I thought this discussion was just in Spanish.

Anyway, languages evolve through their speakers, so maybe in future English will only have “she” (or something derived from there). Or maybe not; that’s the beautiful thing in languages. (and a good reason why I’m a philology student!)

]]> By: ubuntucat http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/comment-page-1/#comment-33 ubuntucat Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:45:59 +0000 http://ubuntucat.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/why-i-say-she/#comment-33 I don't believe that grammar and etymology converge on this issue. It is not currently acceptable to use <i>it</i> in place of <i>he</i> or <i>she</i> when referring to a human being. In any case, my choice to favor <i>she</i> at the moment (not forever, and not for everyone) has distinct sociological advantages to using <i>it</i>. I do appreciate the suggestion and the history lesson, though! I don’t believe that grammar and etymology converge on this issue. It is not currently acceptable to use it in place of he or she when referring to a human being.

In any case, my choice to favor she at the moment (not forever, and not for everyone) has distinct sociological advantages to using it.

I do appreciate the suggestion and the history lesson, though!

]]> By: emvigo http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-i-say-she/comment-page-1/#comment-32 emvigo Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:22:28 +0000 http://ubuntucat.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/why-i-say-she/#comment-32 I must disagree with you partially; I'm a philology student and I think I can argue a bit on this. Germanic languages have a gender-neutral pronoun: German "es", English "it", Danish "det", etc. Indeed, German uses it very regularily. The problem is that people are just dropping it away; the solution would be to be pro-"it", instead of pro-"she". This ensures 1) no artificiality when you speak 2) it is grammatically/etymologically very correct. This is still possible because germanic languages haven't underwent the "casus unicum" process Romance languages have. I remember a spanish politician addressing all people in feminine and it sounded so absolutely absurd in Spanish that she (yes, it was a woman) didn't do it nevermore. I must disagree with you partially; I’m a philology student and I think I can argue a bit on this. Germanic languages have a gender-neutral pronoun: German “es”, English “it”, Danish “det”, etc. Indeed, German uses it very regularily. The problem is that people are just dropping it away; the solution would be to be pro-”it”, instead of pro-”she”. This ensures 1) no artificiality when you speak 2) it is grammatically/etymologically very correct.

This is still possible because germanic languages haven’t underwent the “casus unicum” process Romance languages have. I remember a spanish politician addressing all people in feminine and it sounded so absolutely absurd in Spanish that she (yes, it was a woman) didn’t do it nevermore.

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