I, you, we, they, he, she, him, her, and so forth are the pronouns we use to refer to individuals and groups in English. In recent decades, pronouns have become a means for individuals to express their gender identity and/or sexuality. Of course, any change in a culture can be expected to meet opposition – a backlash, as it were. Such opposition often takes the form of ridicule.
I remember asking my son, the Infectious Disease guy in Nebraska, what he thought of the whole pronoun thing several years ago. “It’s a non-issue,” he answered. “I just need to know what pronouns a person prefers – nothing more.” He’s been a very practical, level-headed sort since he was a young child. It’s one of many things that I admire about him, and I only hope that it reflects his upbringing and isn’t an aberration.
Today, I read a tweet from Chief Twit Elon Musk. It read, “My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci.” That’s what I meant above when I said, ridicule. All of my teacher friends know that prosecute is a verb, and that Fauci is a noun – a proper name, more specifically.
But let’s go with Elon’s rape of the English language. Let me suggest that Elon’s actual pronouns (he thinks he’s in the closet, but I’m on to him) are Self-Important/Prick except when he’s a Racist/Bigot or perhaps a Pathetic/Loser. You get the idea.
I find the whole exercise of abusing language in order to create new pronouns very liberating. Bite me, Elon.