FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · 3 months agoThe singular they is actually such a natural part of the English language, the people complaining about it almost certainly use it without noticingmessage-squaremessage-square48linkfedilinkarrow-up1255arrow-down110
arrow-up1245arrow-down1message-squareThe singular they is actually such a natural part of the English language, the people complaining about it almost certainly use it without noticingFreshParsnip@lemmy.ca to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · 3 months agomessage-square48linkfedilink
minus-square「黃家駒 Wong Ka Kui」(he/him)@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkarrow-up15arrow-down2·edit-23 months agoChinese language is gender neutral: 他 (tā) - he/she/it, singular (Edit: “it” is actually “它”, but its the same pronunciation) 他们 (tā mén) - they, plural So simple… there’s no fuss about pronouns lmfao Imagine all the problems that would go away if the US just used a better language xD
minus-squareFerretyFever0@fedia.iolinkfedilinkarrow-up11arrow-down1·3 months agoBetter than some languages like German, where even inanimate objects have gender. That would be nicer though.
minus-squareI_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up14arrow-down1·3 months agoIt’s cute when someone with a first language like that carries it over to English. “The coffee maker… he is broken 😞” I’m so sad for him!
minus-squareFerretyFever0@fedia.iolinkfedilinkarrow-up7arrow-down1·3 months agoNever thought of that, but personalizing objects is kind of cute, I agree.
minus-squareKristell@herbicide.fallcounty.omg.lollinkfedilinkarrow-up5·3 months agoI remember when I was trying to learn German, one sentence the app gave got burned into my brain forever: Der Tisch hat kein Geschlecht. I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with the point of the table not having a gender; you just called him a man.
minus-squareSlashme@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·3 months agoDas Mädchen seht am See und es sieht ihn. The girl stands at the lake and it sees him. In German, a lake is masculine and all diminutives are neuter, and that includes Mädchen (girl), which is a diminutive of the obsolete word “Magd” (a cognate of “maid”).
minus-squaretaygaloocat@leminal.spacelinkfedilinkarrow-up2arrow-down1·3 months agoMostly. The characters are gender specific. 他=male 她= female and 它 is ambiguous.
Chinese language is gender neutral:
他 (tā) - he/she/
it, singular(Edit: “it” is actually “它”, but its the same pronunciation)
他们 (tā mén) - they, plural
So simple… there’s no fuss about pronouns lmfao
Imagine all the problems that would go away if the US just used a better language xD
Better than some languages like German, where even inanimate objects have gender. That would be nicer though.
It’s cute when someone with a first language like that carries it over to English. “The coffee maker… he is broken 😞” I’m so sad for him!
Never thought of that, but personalizing objects is kind of cute, I agree.
I remember when I was trying to learn German, one sentence the app gave got burned into my brain forever:
Der Tisch hat kein Geschlecht.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with the point of the table not having a gender; you just called him a man.
Das Mädchen seht am See und es sieht ihn.
The girl stands at the lake and it sees him.
In German, a lake is masculine and all diminutives are neuter, and that includes Mädchen (girl), which is a diminutive of the obsolete word “Magd” (a cognate of “maid”).
Mostly. The characters are gender specific. 他=male 她= female and 它 is ambiguous.