After having multiple conversations with parents about their non-binary children, I have to admit that constantly using they/them gets confusing as hell. This parent has multiple children and I frequently couldn't tell if they were referring to their children collectively, or to the non-binary child individually.

[–] ManosTheHandsOfFate@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago

I have only one son and I sometimes find myself calling him by the dog's name. 🙁

[–] Erika2rsis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Potential solutions:

while saying "they", hold up one or two fingers depending on if the word is singular or plural (also possible in emoji: ☝️/✌️)
mutter "singular" or "plural" under your breath before saying "they"
replace plural they with "theys" or "thy'all", à la "yous" or "y'all"
pronounce singular they as /θeɪ/ and plural they as /ðeɪ/

[–] Zyansheep@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Wait, what is the difference in pronunciation for θeɪ vs ðeɪ?

[–] Erika2rsis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 years ago

The same difference between "ether" and "either", or "thistle" and "this'll". Voiceless θ, voiced ð.

[–] SpaceAce@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Isn't it the difference between the 'th' sound in they(ð) and through(θ)?

[–] barsoap@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

or that and thatch.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 years ago

Oh I LOVE the last one.

[–] ddkman@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

And then imagine being one of the basically 7 billion people whose first language, isn't english, but are forced to use it because of, the internet. This type of let's be real malicious syntax is a huge issue.

[–] Erika2rsis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 2 years ago

"Oh those poor, poor ESLs, who are far too stupid to learn the intricacies of Our Tongue, surely we must dumb it down for their sake!"

Listen, as the child of an immigrant and a language learner in xyr own right, the problem with people being forced to learn a complex language is not that the language is complex but that people are forced to learn it. Making the world accessible for ESLs or non-Anglophones does not mean berating native speakers of English as "malicious" for developing their own language to suit their own needs.