Community Chat

[viva923]

i would say this is a generation thing.

I can't remember if we had anything during our formative years 1 yr to 25 yrs. did we use certain words for descriptions and so forth.  can;t remember that far back LOL

I remember the swollowing of live gold fish and piling as many people into a phone booth (remember them). 

[Alter Ego]

I realize this is not a grammar thing, but there needs to be (new?) grammar rules then for proper usage.

I recall a response on a Facebook post. The writer basically said “I brought a companion to meet my parents and they were rude.” This person used “they” repeatedly to reference their companion and usually done so right after the plural parents. Deliberately didn’t use words like boyfriend or girlfriend (or even friend!) The story posted was confusing. No problem using “they” or “their” (you may have noticed that I did so above), but other descriptive words need to be used for differentiation. “I brought my companion to meet my parents and my companion was rude”. Etc.

[this is my nic]

I am so confused! 

[Cakers3]

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@sidsmom wrote:

My generation had “Ms.” which became mainstream in the 60’s.

Everyone has adapted.

Society made it normal.

And the World continues to turn.

Amazing.

(wiki)

“...the default use of Ms., especially for business purposes, is championed by some American sources, including Judith Martin (a.k.a. Miss Manners).  Concerning business, the Emily Post Institute states, "Ms. is the default form of address, unless you know positively that a woman wishes to be addressed as Mrs."  The American Heritage Book of English Usage states, "Using Ms. obviates the need for the guesswork involved in figuring out whether to address someone as Mrs. or Miss: you can’t go wrong with Ms. Whether the woman you are addressing is married or unmarried, has changed her name or not, Ms. is always correct."

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@sidsmom  Ms. dates back as early as the 17th century and was the abbreviation for Mistress. 

It was not a new concept when it resurfaced as early as the early part of the 1900's.

[chickenbutt]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@sidsmom  Ms. dates back as early as the 17th century and was the abbreviation for Mistress. 

It was not a new concept when it resurfaced as early as the early part of the 1900's.

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Oh wow, I never knew that.   I also thought it was a 70s thing.   Thanks for the info.    I always love learning something new.

[Cakers3]

One point being overlooked-you do not directly address a person as he/she-you address them by name or you.

So it would be impossible to offend a transgender person in face to face conversation.

As far as using they or them, those words are not new.  Groups of people are they or them regardless of orientation.

If one knows a person is transgender or transitioning certainly that person is he or she; but you wouldn't say that conversing with them.  It would simply be you or their name.

[this is my nic]

@Cakers3

Oh, THANK YOU!  You made perfect sense and I am no longer confused!  The language doesn't need to be changed, we already have the obvious words to used.  Again, thank you! 

[mousiegirl]

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@petepetey wrote:

My college age child told me a friend of hers was traveling in Europe this week.

I asked 'who is she traveling with'?  She then told me she doesn't use 'she' anymore

it's 'they or 'them'.

This one is hard for me to wrap my head around. Why deny your gender? Is that a bad thing?  They or them is plural so are you speaking about one person or a group?

How can I understand this?

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@petepetey  Correct grammar is not taught in schools now because the teachers were not taught it. 

[bikerbabe]

Call a person what they request to be called.
Simple.

[qvcaddition]

I don,t care what you want to be or what you feel you are, but keep our English language normal and sane , because the world is definitely getting crazy.  Nuts.  I can,t believe it.  They also want to take man out of woman, and Manhatten, or anything with man in it.  

Also you are to ask a babies permission before you touch your child to change their diaper.  The baby needs to tell you it,s ok.  I think it,s crying a lot when wet tells you it wants it,s diaper changed.  They can,t speak yet. These are the crazy things that are going on.  In all my years on this earth,  I have never heard so many nutty statements.  I heard all this stuff and more on the news in the last few months.