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    Neopronouns: Difference between revisions

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    [[File:Neopronounflag.png|thumb|220x220px|The neopronoun user flag by uncommongenders.]]
    [[File:Neopronounflag.png|thumb|220x220px|A neopronoun user flag ]]
    [[File:Neopronoun Flag.png|thumb|220x220px|Neopronouns Flag by Geekycorn on DeviantArt.]]
    [[File:Neopronoun Flag.png|thumb|220x220px|A neopronoun user flag ]]
    '''Neopronouns''' are any set of singular third-person [[pronouns]] that are not officially recognized in the language they are used in. Neopronouns are typically created with the intent of being a gender neutral pronoun set. In English, and many other [[wikipedia:Indo-European languages|Indo-European languages]], third-person pronouns can be [[wikipedia:grammatical gender|gendered]]. In English, "she/her" is most often used by women, "he/him" most often by men, and "they/them" by non-binary people. However, some people [[crosspronominal|deviate]] from this convention.
    '''Neopronouns''' are any set of singular third-person [[pronouns]] that are not officially recognized in the language they are used in, typically created with the intent of being a gender-neutral pronoun set. In English, and many other [[wikipedia:Indo-European languages|Indo-European languages]], third-person pronouns can be gendered. In English, "she/her" is most often used by women, "he/him" most often by men, and "they/them" by non-binary individuals, though some individuals [[Pronoun Non-Conforming|deviate]] from this convention.
    [[File:Neopronouns.png|thumb|220x220px|A neopronoun user flag by ferns-garden.]]
    [[File:Neopronouns.png|thumb|220x220px|A neopronoun user flag ]]
    Some people prefer using neopronouns as an alternative gender neutral pronoun set. This can be because they want to avoid singular "they," being confused with plural "they," because neopronouns express something about them or their gender (like [[Xenogender|xenogenders]]), or because they feel more comfortable using neopronouns over any of the standard pronoun options.
    Some individuals prefer using neopronouns as an alternative gender-neutral pronoun set. This could be because they want to avoid singular "they" being confused with plural "they," because neopronouns express something about them or their gender (like [[xenogender]]s), or because they feel more comfortable using neopronouns over any of the standard pronoun options.
    == Regional Nominative Pronouns ==
    == Regional Nominative Pronouns ==
    Some regional dialects of English historically had or still have gender neutral pronouns that were or are not used outside of their respective dialects. All of these pronouns have only been recorded in their nominative form. As far as linguists know, there are no other forms of these words (possessive, reflexive, etc.), although more forms could easily be created if desired.
    Some regional dialects of English historically had or still have gender-neutral pronouns that were or are not used outside of their respective dialects. All of these pronouns have only been recorded in their nominative form. As far as linguists know, there are no other forms of these words (possessive, reflexive, etc), although more forms could easily be created if desired.


    These pronouns do not strictly fit the definition of neopronouns, as they developed naturally in the language and, as far as we know, were not created by a single person with the goal of creating a gender neutral pronoun.
    These pronouns do not strictly fit the definition of neopronouns, as they developed naturally in the language and, as far as we know, were not created by an individual with the goal of creating a gender-neutral pronoun.


    === A (nominative only) ===
    === A (nominative only) ===
    In 1789, William H. Marshall documented the use of ''a'', used by 14th century English writer, John of Trevisa. Both the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary confirm the use of "a" in place of "he," "she," "it," "they," and even "I." It is a reduced form of the [[wikipedia:Old English|Old English]] pronoun, "he," meaning "he" and "heo" meaning "she".<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20100418022839/http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html</ref> Some surviving British dialects still use this pronoun.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20080630041424/http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html</ref>
    In 1789, William H. Marshall documented the use of ''a'', used by 14th century English writer, John of Trevisa. Both the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary confirm the use of "a" in place of "he," "she," "it," "they," and even "I." It is a reduced form of the [[wikipedia:Old English|Old English]] pronoun, "he," meaning "he" and "heo" meaning "she."<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20100418022839/http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html</ref> Some surviving British dialects still use this pronoun.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20080630041424/http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html</ref>


    === Ou (nominative only) ===
    === Ou (nominative only) ===
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    === Yo (nominative only) ===
    === Yo (nominative only) ===
    In addition to an interjection and greeting, ''yo'' is a gender-neutral pronoun in a dialect of [[wikipedia:African-American Vernacular English|African-American Vernacular English]] (AAVE) spoken by middle school students in Baltimore, Maryland, the student body of which is 97% African-American. These students had spontaneously created the pronoun as early as 2004, and commonly used it. A study by Stotko and Troyer in 2007 examined this pronoun. The speakers used ''yo'' only for same-age peers, not adults or authorities. The speakers thought of it as a slang word that was informal, but they also thought if it as just as acceptable as ''he'' or ''she''. ''Yo'' was used for people whose gender was unknown, as well as for specific people whose gender was known, often while using a pointing gesture at the person in question. The researchers only collected examples of ''yo'' used in the nominative form, finding no possessive forms such as ''*yo's'' and no reflexive forms such as ''*yoself''.<ref>https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://nonbinary.wiki/&httpsredir=1&article=1203&context=honors</ref>
    In addition to an interjection and greeting, ''yo'' is a gender-neutral pronoun in a dialect of [[wikipedia:African-American Vernacular English|African-American Vernacular English]] (AAVE) spoken by middle school students in Baltimore, Maryland, the student body of which is 97% African-American. These students had spontaneously created the pronoun as early as 2004, and commonly used it. A study by Stotko and Troyer in 2007 examined this pronoun. The speakers used ''yo'' only for same-age peers, not adults or authorities. The speakers thought of it as a slang word that was informal, but they also thought if it as just as acceptable as ''he'' or ''she''. ''Yo'' was used for those whose gender was unknown, as well as for specific individuals whose gender was known, often while using a pointing gesture at the individual in question. The researchers only collected examples of ''yo'' used in the nominative form, finding no possessive forms such as ''*yo's'' and no reflexive forms such as *''yoself''.<ref>https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://nonbinary.wiki/&httpsredir=1&article=1203&context=honors</ref>


    == List of Neopronouns ==
    == List of Neopronouns ==
    There have been many instances of people creating new pronouns to refer to a singular gender neutral person over the past 200 years. Particularly, several neopronouns showed up in the mid-late 20th century. Many new neopronouns were created in the age of the internet, as the existence of non-binary people becomes more widely known. While there is no way to list all possible neopronouns, this page attempts to list some of the most notable and most popular examples. Pronouns are listed in order of oldest to newest.
    There have been many instances of individuals creating new pronouns to refer to a singular gender-neutral individual over the past 200 years. Particularly, several neopronouns showed up in the mid-late 20th century. Many new neopronouns were created in the age of the internet, as the existence of non-binary Individuals became more widely known. While there is no way to list all possible neopronouns, this page attempts to list some of the most notable and most popular examples. Pronouns are listed in order of oldest to newest.
    [[File:Thon thons.png|thumb|The thon/thons pronoun user flag ]]


    === Thon ===
    === Thon ===
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    |Pronominal Possessive
    |Pronominal Possessive
    |Thons
    |Thons
    |Thon walked ''thons'' dog today.
    |Thon walked ''thon's'' dog today.
    |/ðɑnz/
    |/ðɑnz/
    |-
    |-
    Line 53: Line 54:
    |/ðɑnsɛlf/
    |/ðɑnsɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    One of the first known instances of someone purposely creating a new gender neutral pronoun set in English is that of American composer Charles Crozat Converse who proposed the pronoun set thon/thons/thonself in 1858.<ref>https://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=43422</ref> It was based on a contraction of "that one". The ''thon'' pronoun was included in some dictionaries such as Webster's International Dictionary (1910), Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary (1913), and Webster's Second International (1959). The pronouns are not widely used in the present day. In the 2019 Gender Census, 18 (0.2%) people said that they were happy to be referred to by ''thon''.<ref name=":0">https://gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide</ref>
    One of the first known instances of someone purposely creating a new gender-neutral pronoun set in English is that of American composer Charles Crozat Converse, who proposed the pronoun set thon/thons/thonself in 1858.<ref>https://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=43422</ref> It was based on a contraction of "that one." The ''thon'' pronoun was included in some dictionaries such as Webster's International Dictionary (1910), Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary (1913), and Webster's Second International (1959). The pronouns are not widely used in the present day. In the 2019 Gender Census, 18 (0.2%) individuals said that they were happy to be referred to as ''thon''.<ref name=":0">https://gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide</ref>
    [[File:E em.png|thumb|The e/em pronoun user flag]]


    === E ===
    === E ===
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    In 1977, a version in which all forms starts with capital letters was independently created by psychologist Donald G. MacKay of the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1989 an identical version it was independently created by Victor J. Stone, Professor of Law.
    In 1977, a version in which all forms starts with capital letters was independently created by psychologist Donald G. MacKay of the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1989 an identical version it was independently created by Victor J. Stone, Professor of Law.
    [[File:Ae aer.png|thumb|The ae/aer pronoun user flag]]


    === Ae ===
    === Ae ===
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    |/ɛ<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |/ɛ<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    In his 1920 novel ''A Voyage to Arcturus'', David Lindsay invented the ''ae'' pronoun set for an alien race, which were born from air and of a third sex. These pronouns are still somewhat well known on the internet.
    In his 1920 novel, ''A Voyage to Arcturus'', David Lindsay invented the ''ae'' pronoun set for an alien race, which were born from air and of a third sex. These pronouns are still somewhat well known on the internet.
    [[File:Co cos.png|thumb|The co/cos pronoun user flag]]


    === Co ===
    === Co ===
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    |-
    |-
    |Pronominal Possessive
    |Pronominal Possessive
    |Cos/Co's
    |Cos
    |Co walked ''cos''/''co's'' dog today.
    |Co walked ''cos'' dog today.
    |/koz/
    |/koz/
    |-
    |-
    |Predicative Possessive
    |Predicative Possessive
    |Cos
    |Co's
    |If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow ''co's''.
    |If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow ''cos''.
    |/koz/
    |/koz/
    |-
    |-
    Line 157: Line 161:
    |/kosɛlf/
    |/kosɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    ''Co'' was created by Mary Orovan in 1970. It is derived from the Indo-European ''*ko'', as an inclusive alternative to he or she.<ref>http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/essays/epicene.htm</ref> Today, ''co'' is still used in some communities, such as in the legal policies of Twin Oaks in Virginia, which provides information on the pronoun in its visitor guide web page.<ref>https://www.twinoakscommunity.org/twinoaks-visits-60/visit-tour-intro</ref>
    Co was coined as a possible neutral pronoun by Mary Orovan in an eight-page pamphlet called ''Humanizing English'', which was first published in 1970. The pronoun "co" was derived from the Indo-European ''*ko''.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20211129021858/https://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/humanizing-english.pdf Mary Orovan's Humanizing English pamphlet.]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20211126165341/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/06/gender-neutral-pronouns-arent-new/619092/ Atlantic article referencing co pronouns.]</ref> Today, co pronouns are still used in some communities, such as in the legal policies of Twin Oaks in Virginia, who first began using co as a neutral pronoun in 1972.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20211129023250/https://www.twinoakscommunity.org/frequently-asked-questions-faqs-85 Twin Oaks website referencing co pronouns.]</ref>
    [[File:Ve vir.png|thumb|The vi/vir pronoun user flag]]


    === Ve ===
    === Ve ===
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    |Vers/Virs
    |Vers/Virs
    |If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow ''vers''/''virs''.
    |If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow ''vers''/''virs''.
    |/və<sup>ɹ</sup>z/ OR /vi<sup>ɹ</sup>z/ <sup>†</sup>
    |/və<sup>ɹ</sup>z/, /vi<sup>ɹ</sup>z/ <sup>†</sup>
    |-
    |-
    |Reflexive
    |Reflexive
    Line 193: Line 198:
    <sup>†</sup>Both spellings can be pronounced either way.
    <sup>†</sup>Both spellings can be pronounced either way.


    The ''ve'' pronoun set was created sometime in the early 1970s. It is unclear who originally invented this pronoun set or when, and it is possible that multiple people created it independently. The most well know usage of ''ve'' comes from Greg Egan, who used it in his books ''Distress (1995)'' and ''Diaspora (1998)''.<ref>http://www.urticator.net/essay/0/30.html</ref> Egan is sometimes credited with having created these pronouns, but this does not appear to be the case and he has never claimed to have done so. An earlier example is in the novel ''The Bone People (1984)'' by Keri Hulme.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1580481-gender-neutral-characters-and-pronouns</ref> The earliest known example of ''ve'' comes from the 1970 May issue of ''Everywoman''.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20070310130020/http://aetherlumina.com/gnp/listing.html</ref> This set is nearly-identical but is incomplete. It included ve/vir/vis, with no predicative possessive and reflexive recorded.
    The ''ve'' pronoun set was created sometime in the early 1970s. It is unclear who originally invented this pronoun set or when, and it is possible that more than one individual created it independently. The most well known usage of ''ve'' comes from Greg Egan, who used it in his books ''Distress (1995)'' and ''Diaspora (1998)''.<ref>http://www.urticator.net/essay/0/30.html</ref> Egan is sometimes credited with having created these pronouns, but this does not appear to be the case, and he has never claimed to have done so. An earlier example is in the novel ''The Bone People (1984)'' by Keri Hulme.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1580481-gender-neutral-characters-and-pronouns</ref> The earliest known example of ''ve'' comes from the 1970 May issue of ''Everywoman''.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20070310130020/http://aetherlumina.com/gnp/listing.html</ref> This set is nearly-identical but is incomplete. It included ve/vir/vis, with no predicative possessive and reflexive recorded.


    === Xe ===
    === Xe ===
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    |/zɛmsɛlf/
    |/zɛmsɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    This pronoun set appears to have been first coined by Don Rickter in an issue of ''Unitarian Universalist'' published in May 1973. This coining is affirmed by Mario Pei, who gave Rickter credit in his 1978 book ''Weasel Words''.<ref>https://books.google.com/books/about/Weasel_words.html?id=j9RZAAAAMAAJ</ref> This set has a large amount of variations; alternate spellings include:
    This pronoun set appears to have been first coined by Don Rickter in an issue of ''Unitarian Universalist'' published in May 1973. This coining is affirmed by Mario Pei, who gave Rickter credit in his 1978 book ''Weasel Words''.<ref>https://books.google.com/books/about/Weasel_words.html?id=j9RZAAAAMAAJ</ref> This set has a large amount of variations; alternate versions include:
    * Nominative: Xhe, xey
    * Nominative: Xhe, xey
    * Accusative: Xer, xim, xym
    * Accusative: Xer, xim, xym
    Line 234: Line 239:
    * Predicative possessive: Xirs, xis, xers, or xeirs
    * Predicative possessive: Xirs, xis, xers, or xeirs
    * Reflexive: Xirself, xyrself, ximself, xymself, or xerself
    * Reflexive: Xirself, xyrself, ximself, xymself, or xerself

    [[File:Per pers.png|thumb|The per/pers pronoun user flag]]


    === Per (person pronouns) ===
    === Per (person pronouns) ===
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    |/pə<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |/pə<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    Known as "person pronouns", these are meant to be used for a person of any gender. John Clark created person pronouns in a 1972 issue of the ''Newsletter of the American Anthropological Association''.<ref name=":1" /> These pronouns were notably used in the 1976 novel ''Woman on the Edge of Time'' by Marge Piercy.
    Known as "person pronouns", these are meant to be used for an individual of any gender. John Clark created person pronouns in a 1972 issue of the ''Newsletter of the American Anthropological Association''.<ref name=":1" /> These pronouns were notably used in the 1976 novel ''Woman on the Edge of Time'' by Marge Piercy.


    === Ey (Elverson pronouns) ===
    === Ey (Elverson pronouns) ===
    [[File:Ey em.png|thumb|The ey/em pronoun user flag]]
    {| class="article-table"
    {| class="article-table"
    !Case
    !Case
    Line 301: Line 309:
    |/ɛmsɛlf/
    |/ɛmsɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    The Elverson pronouns were created by Christine M. Elverson of Skokie, Illinois to win a contest to create an alternative to the singular ''they'' in 1975. They were formed by dropping the first two letters from ''they'' and its inflections.
    The Elverson pronouns were created by Christine M. Elverson of Skokie, Illinois, to win a contest to create an alternative to the singular ''they'' in 1975. They were formed by dropping the first two letters from ''they'' and its inflections.


    It is unclear what sort of lexical agreement these pronouns would take. The pronouns can only be used as singular pronouns, so they could presumably be conjugated the same way as other singular pronoun sets (ie: "Ey ''was'' eating.") However, since these pronouns were based off the ''they'' set, it may feel more natural for English speakers to say "Ey ''were'' eating." It is unclear which conjugation was intended, so either can be used. Most other neopronouns based on "e" or "ey" face the same problem.
    It is unclear what sort of lexical agreement these pronouns would take. The pronouns can only be used as singular pronouns, so they could presumably be conjugated the same way as other singular pronoun sets (ie: "Ey ''was'' eating.") However, since these pronouns were based on the ''they'' set, it may feel more natural for English speakers to say "Ey ''were'' eating." It is unclear which conjugation was intended, so either can be used. Most other neopronouns based on "e" or "ey" face the same problem.
    [[File:Hu hum.png|thumb|The hu/hum pronoun user flag]]


    === Hu (humanist pronouns) ===
    === Hu (humanist pronouns) ===
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    |/hjusɛlf/
    |/hjusɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    <sup>†</sup>Pronunciation is assumed to match that in 'human' both for the theme and to distinguish it from the word 'who'.
    <sup>†</sup>Pronunciation is assumed to match that in 'human' both for the theme and to distinguish it from the word 'who.'


    Also known as "humanist pronouns", this set was created by Sasha Newborn in 1982, in a college humanities text. They are obviously based on the word ''human''.<ref>http://www.hupronoun.org/</ref> They could be considered the first instance of [[Nounself Pronouns|nounself pronouns]].
    Also known as "humanist pronouns," this set was created by Sasha Newborn in 1982, in a college humanities text. They are obviously based on the word ''human''.<ref>http://www.hupronoun.org/</ref> They could be considered the first instance of [[Nounself Pronouns|nounself pronouns]].


    === E (Spivak pronouns) ===
    === E (Spivak pronouns) ===
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    |/ɛmsɛlf/
    |/ɛmsɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    The "Spivak pronouns" were created in 1990 by Michael Spivak. They were used in his manual ''The Joy of TeX'' so that no person in his examples had a specified gender. The pronouns became somewhat well-known on the internet because they were built into the popular multi-user chat LambdaMOO in 1991. The pronouns then became a common feature of other multi-user chats made throughout the 1990s. In the 2019 Gender Census, 5.2% of participants indicated they were happy with Spivak pronouns being used to refer to them.<ref name=":0" /> Spivak is credited with creating this set of pronouns, although his book does not claim that they are his own invention. It is not known whether Spivak was inspired by the other "E" pronouns that have existed or by the similar Elverson pronouns.
    The "Spivak pronouns" were created in 1990 by Michael Spivak. They were used in his manual ''The Joy of TeX'' so that no one in his examples had a specified gender. The pronouns became somewhat well-known on the internet because they were built into the popular multi-user chat LambdaMOO in 1991. The pronouns then became a common feature of other multi-user chats made throughout the 1990s. In the 2019 Gender Census, 5.2% of participants indicated they were happy with Spivak pronouns being used to refer to them.<ref name=":0" /> Spivak is credited with creating this set of pronouns, although his book does not claim that they are his own invention. It is not known whether Spivak was inspired by the other "E" pronouns that have existed or by the similar Elverson pronouns.


    === Ze ===
    === Ze ===
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    |/zə<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |/zə<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    Similar to the ''xe'' pronoun set, there are several different versions of this pronoun set. ''Ze'' is also pronounced the same way as ''xe''. It was likely based on the German plural 3rd person pronoun ''sie''. The first known case of ''ze'' being used is in 1997, by Richard Creel, who proposed ze/zer/mer (reflexive form is not recorded).
    Similar to the ''xe'' pronoun set, there are several different versions of this pronoun set. ''Ze'' is also pronounced the same way as ''xe''. It was likely based on the German plural third-person pronoun ''sie''. The first known case of ''ze'' being used is in 1997, by Richard Creel, who proposed ze/zer/mer (reflexive form is not recorded).


    Another version was possibly independently created by Kate Bornstein in the 1998 book ''My Gender Workbook''. This version uses ''ze'' (sometimes ''zie'' or ''sie'') and ''hir''. The most popular variation of these pronouns are based on this version and were created in 2013.
    Another version was possibly independently created by Kate Bornstein in the 1998 book ''My Gender Workbook''. This version uses ''ze'' (sometimes ''zie'' or ''sie'') and ''hir''. The most popular variation of these pronouns are based on this version and were created in 2013.
    [[File:Fae faer.png|thumb|The fae/faer pronoun user flag]]

    === Fae ===
    === Fae ===
    {| class="article-table"
    {| class="article-table"
    Line 442: Line 453:
    |/fɛ<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |/fɛ<sup>ɹ</sup>sɛlf/
    |}
    |}
    The ''fae'' pronouns are a pagan-themed set of neopronouns created by Tumblr user shadaras in [https://heterosexualisnotadefault.tumblr.com/post/635251444970291201/pronouns-i-have-encountered-in-no-particular-order 2013,] though it may have been created independently by someone else earlier. It is one of the most commonly used [[Nounself Pronouns|nounself pronoun]] sets. It likely inspired the trend of using nounself pronouns on the internet.
    The ''fae'' pronouns are a set of neopronouns created by Tumblr user shadaras in 2013,<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20210228185937/https://heterosexualisnotadefault.tumblr.com/post/635251444970291201/pronouns-i-have-encountered-in-no-particular-order</ref> though it may have been created independently by someone else earlier. It is one of the most commonly used neopronoun sets, and can be used as either a non-themed or nounself pronoun set. It likely helped to popularise using nounself pronouns on the internet.


    == Other ==
    A similar fairy-themed pronoun set is ''fey''/''fey''/''feys''/''feys''/''feyself''. This may have been created independently or it may be an alternate spelling of this set.
    ⚫
    == Other Non-Standard Pronouns ==
    These pronouns may or may not strictly fall into the category of neopronouns, but do not fall within the standard usage of pronouns in English.
    These pronouns may or may not strictly fall into the category of neopronouns, but do not fall within the standard usage of pronouns in English.
    [[File:Itits.png|thumb|220x220px|The it/its pronoun user flag.]]
    [[File:Itits.png|thumb|220x220px|The it/its pronoun user flag.]]
    Line 474: Line 484:
    |It has to drive ''itself'' to school.
    |It has to drive ''itself'' to school.
    |}
    |}
    [[File:It its pronouns.png|thumb|220x220px|It/Its Pronouns Flag by Geekycorn on DeviantArt]]''It'' is the pronoun for inanimate objects in English, though some non-binary people (doesn't have to be non-binary but it/its is most commonly used by non-binary people) choose to use this as a non-gendered pronoun. Using ''it'' to refer to a non-binary person is considered offensive unless one is specifically told to use that pronoun.
    [[File:It its pronouns.png|thumb|220x220px|An alternate it/its pronouns flag ]]''It'' is the pronoun for inanimate objects in English, though some individuals choose to use this as a non-gendered pronoun. Using ''it'' to refer to a non-binary individual is considered offensive unless one is specifically told to use that pronoun.


    Some people may consider ''it'' to be a neopronoun when used for people, while others do not. On the one hand ''it'' is a recognized pronoun in English, however, it is typically only used for inanimate objects. Being used to refer to people is not conventionally part of ''it''<nowiki/>'s usage.
    Some may consider ''it'' to be a neopronoun when used for individuals, while others do not. On the one hand, ''it'' is a recognized pronoun in English; however, it is typically only used for inanimate objects. Being used to refer to individuals is not conventionally part of ''it'''s usage.


    [[File:One one's.png|thumb|The one/one's pronoun user flag]]


    === One ===
    === One ===
    Line 504: Line 517:
    |One has to drive ''oneself'' to school.
    |One has to drive ''oneself'' to school.
    |}
    |}
    ''One'' is a gender neutral pronoun for a generic person in English. It is typically used in formal speech when talking about people in general or a hypothetical person. Some people use ''one'' as a singular alternative to ''they''.
    ''One'' is a gender-neutral pronoun for a generic individual in English. It is typically used in formal speech when talking about individuals in general or someone hypothetical. Some individuals use ''one'' as a singular alternative to ''they''.


    === Alternating Pronouns ===
    === Alternating Pronouns ===
    Instead of using an alternative or gender neutral pronoun set, some people prefer an alternation between the binary-gendered sets. For example: "When ''he'' does not get a haircut, ''her'' hair grows long." Alternating pronouns are used in some legal documents to make them gender inclusive.
    Instead of using an alternative or gender-neutral pronoun set, some individuals prefer an alternation between the binary-gendered sets. For example: "When ''he'' does not get a haircut, ''her'' hair grows long." Alternating pronouns are used in some legal documents to make them gender-inclusive.


    === No Pronouns/Pronoun Dropping ===
    === No Pronouns/Pronoun Dropping ===
    Also called non-pronouns, null pronouns, or [[Nullpronoun|pronounless]]. Some non-binary people prefer not to be referred to by pronouns of any kind. Instead of using pronouns, a person may be referred to by name, an epithet, or the sentence can be rephrased to omit pronouns, typically by using the passive voice.
    Also called non-pronouns, null pronouns, or [[Nullpronoun|pronounless]]. Some individuals prefer not to be referred to by third-person pronouns of any kind. Instead of using pronouns, an individual may be referred to by name, an epithet, or the sentence can be rephrased to omit pronouns, typically by using the passive voice.


    ===Nounself Pronouns===
    ===Nounself Pronouns===
    [[Nounself Pronouns|Nounself]] pronouns are type of neopronoun typically used by [[xenic]] individuals, but can be used by non-xenics as well, that derived a pronoun from an existing word. Usually, people will use the pronouns that correspond with their xenogender, or some other aspect of themself. For example, someone who is [[catgender]] may use nya/nyan pronouns.
    [[Nounself Pronouns|Nounself]] pronouns are type of neopronoun that are derived from an existing word. They are commonly, but not always, used by [[xenic]] individuals who may want to use a pronoun set that corresponds with their xenogender, or some other aspect of themself. For example, someone who is [[catgender]] may use nya/nyan pronouns.


    === Emojiself Pronouns ===
    === Emojiself Pronouns ===
    [[Emojiself Pronouns|Emojiself pronouns]] are a subcategory of nounself pronouns, which are pronouns that, instead of using letters, utilize emojis (ex: 💫/💫's/💫self). These pronouns are not intended to be pronounced out loud and are only intended for online communication. In spoken conversation one may or may not use pronouns that are based on the emoji (ex: 💀/💀s skull/skulls).
    [[Emojiself Pronouns|Emojiself]] pronouns are a subcategory of nounself pronouns, which are pronouns that, instead of using letters, utilize emojis (eg. 💫/💫's/💫self). These pronouns are not intended to be pronounced out loud and are only intended for online communication. In spoken conversation one may or may not use pronouns that are based on the emoji (eg. 💀/💀s skull/skulls).


    == Flag ==
    === Nameself Pronouns ===
    [[Namepronouns|Nameself]] pronouns are a type of neopronoun that derive from an individual's name, or a shortened/altered version of it. It can sometimes be considered a form of pronoun dropping. For example, someone named Samantha may use sam/sams pronouns.

    ⚫
    === Object Pronouns ===
    [[Objectpronouns|Objectself]] are a type of neopronoun which refers itself to objects, these could be related to food, to furniture, to anything that is considered an ‘object’ which by definition would be a physical thing. For example a person may use choco/chocolate pronouns.

    == Flags ==
    The purple neopronoun flag was designed by‎ DeviantArt user Geekycorn on April 25, 2020. The stripes, in order, represent agender neopronoun users, neopronoun-using men, neopronoun-using women, nonbinary/genderqueer/other neopronoun users, and multigender neopronoun users.
    The purple neopronoun flag was designed by‎ DeviantArt user Geekycorn on April 25, 2020. The stripes, in order, represent agender neopronoun users, neopronoun-using men, neopronoun-using women, nonbinary/genderqueer/other neopronoun users, and multigender neopronoun users.


    The green and orange neopronoun flag was designed by Tumblr user Ferns-Garden/Beanjamoose on or before Jul 1, 2019. The flag is used by the blog yourfave-uses-neopronouns.<ref>https://yourfave-uses-neopronouns.tumblr.com/post/185988230593/the-flag-and-meaning</ref> The color meanings are as follows: Green is for masculine-identifying people who use neopronouns. Blue is for older pronoun sets and the history behind them. White is for non-binary identifying people who use neopronouns. Yellow is for newer pronoun sets and the happiness that comes from them. Orange is for feminine-identifying people who use neopronouns.
    The green and orange neopronoun flag was designed by Tumblr user Ferns-Garden/Beanjamoose on or before July 1, 2019. The flag is used by the blog yourfave-uses-neopronouns.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://yourfave-uses-neopronouns.tumblr.com/post/185988230593/the-flag-and-meaning}}</ref> Green is for masculine-identifying neopronoun users, blue is for older pronoun sets and the history behind them, white is for non-binary identifying neopronoun users, yellow is for newer pronoun sets and the happiness that comes from them, and orange is for feminine-identifying neopronoun users.

    The green and purple neopronoun flag was redesigned by Tumblr user Uncommongenders on June 5, 2018. The meaning is unknown.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20181216171544/https://uncommongenders.tumblr.com/post/174605594564/okay-so-i-wanted-to-make-hq-versions-of</ref><ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://uncommongenders.home.blog/2018/06/05/okay-so-i-wanted-to-make-hq-versions-of/}}</ref>


    The green and purple neopronoun flag was designed by Tumblr user Uncommongenders on June 5, 2018. The meaning is unknown.<ref>https://uncommongenders.tumblr.com/post/174605594564/okay-so-i-wanted-to-make-hq-versions-of</ref>
    The xe/xem flag and the it/its flag were designed by Tumblr user love-all-around1223 on April 14 and April 15, 2018, respectively.<ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172939520081/are-there-flags-for-pronouns}}</ref><ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172959084791/are-there-flags-for-pronouns}}</ref> The alternate it/its neopronoun flag was made by DeviantArt user GeekyCorn.


    The xe/xem flag and the it/its flag were designed by Tumblr user love-all-around1223 on April 14th, and April 15th, 2018 respectively.<ref>https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172939520081/are-there-flags-for-pronouns</ref><ref>https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172959084791/are-there-flags-for-pronouns</ref>
    The ae/aer, ey/em, co/cos, ve/vir and thon/thons flags were designed by mourningmogaicrew on Tumblr on June 17, 2021. <ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://mourningmogaicrew.tumblr.com/post/654242515400245248/specific-neopronoun-flags}}</ref> The per/pers, fae/faer, one/one's, hu/hum and e/em flags were designed by the same user on June 20, 2021. <ref>{{Archive|Site=web|URL=https://mourningmogaicrew.tumblr.com/post/654510105426083840/specific-neo-flags-part-2}}</ref>


    == Resources ==
    == References ==
    <references />
    <references />(Hello, this is a random person saying you are valid 😌💅✨)
    [[Category:Terminology]]
    [[Category:Terminology]]
    [[Category:Pronouns]]
    [[Category:Pronouns]]

    Latest revision as of 16:46, 3 May 2024

    A neopronoun user flag
    A neopronoun user flag

    Neopronouns are any set of singular third-person pronouns that are not officially recognized in the language they are used in, typically created with the intent of being a gender-neutral pronoun set. In English, and many other Indo-European languages, third-person pronouns can be gendered. In English, "she/her" is most often used by women, "he/him" most often by men, and "they/them" by non-binary individuals, though some individuals deviate from this convention.

    A neopronoun user flag

    Some individuals prefer using neopronouns as an alternative gender-neutral pronoun set. This could be because they want to avoid singular "they" being confused with plural "they," because neopronouns express something about them or their gender (like xenogenders), or because they feel more comfortable using neopronouns over any of the standard pronoun options.

    Regional Nominative Pronouns

    Some regional dialects of English historically had or still have gender-neutral pronouns that were or are not used outside of their respective dialects. All of these pronouns have only been recorded in their nominative form. As far as linguists know, there are no other forms of these words (possessive, reflexive, etc), although more forms could easily be created if desired.

    These pronouns do not strictly fit the definition of neopronouns, as they developed naturally in the language and, as far as we know, were not created by an individual with the goal of creating a gender-neutral pronoun.

    A (nominative only)

    In 1789, William H. Marshall documented the use of a, used by 14th century English writer, John of Trevisa. Both the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and Wright's English Dialect Dictionary confirm the use of "a" in place of "he," "she," "it," "they," and even "I." It is a reduced form of the Old English pronoun, "he," meaning "he" and "heo" meaning "she."[1] Some surviving British dialects still use this pronoun.[2]

    Ou (nominative only)

    Ou was first recorded in a native English dialect in the 16th century. In 1789, William H. Marshall recorded the existence of a dialectal English epicene pronoun, singular ou: '"Ou will" expresses either he will, she will, or it will.' Marshall traces ou as possibly deriving from Middle English a.

    Yo (nominative only)

    In addition to an interjection and greeting, yo is a gender-neutral pronoun in a dialect of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) spoken by middle school students in Baltimore, Maryland, the student body of which is 97% African-American. These students had spontaneously created the pronoun as early as 2004, and commonly used it. A study by Stotko and Troyer in 2007 examined this pronoun. The speakers used yo only for same-age peers, not adults or authorities. The speakers thought of it as a slang word that was informal, but they also thought if it as just as acceptable as he or she. Yo was used for those whose gender was unknown, as well as for specific individuals whose gender was known, often while using a pointing gesture at the individual in question. The researchers only collected examples of yo used in the nominative form, finding no possessive forms such as *yo's and no reflexive forms such as *yoself.[3]

    List of Neopronouns

    There have been many instances of individuals creating new pronouns to refer to a singular gender-neutral individual over the past 200 years. Particularly, several neopronouns showed up in the mid-late 20th century. Many new neopronouns were created in the age of the internet, as the existence of non-binary Individuals became more widely known. While there is no way to list all possible neopronouns, this page attempts to list some of the most notable and most popular examples. Pronouns are listed in order of oldest to newest.

    The thon/thons pronoun user flag

    Thon

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Thon Thon went to the store. /ðɑn/
    Accusative Thon I met thon today. /ðɑn/
    Pronominal Possessive Thons Thon walked thon's dog today. /ðɑnz/
    Predicative Possessive Thon's If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow thon's. /ðɑnz/
    Reflexive Thonself Thon has to drive thonself to school. /ðɑnsɛlf/

    One of the first known instances of someone purposely creating a new gender-neutral pronoun set in English is that of American composer Charles Crozat Converse, who proposed the pronoun set thon/thons/thonself in 1858.[4] It was based on a contraction of "that one." The thon pronoun was included in some dictionaries such as Webster's International Dictionary (1910), Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary (1913), and Webster's Second International (1959). The pronouns are not widely used in the present day. In the 2019 Gender Census, 18 (0.2%) individuals said that they were happy to be referred to as thon.[5]

    The e/em pronoun user flag

    E

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative E E went to the store. /i/
    Accusative Em I met em today. /ɛm/
    Pronominal Possessive Es E walked es dog today. /iz/
    Predicative Possessive Ems If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow ems. /ɛmz/
    Reflexive Emself E has to drive emself to school. /ɛmsɛlf/

    There are several very similar sets of pronouns with the nominative form e which have been independently proposed over the last hundred years. The earliest known example may be created in 1890 by James Rogers of Crestview, Florida.[6][7] It was made in response to the thon set, and was derived from the he and them pronoun sets. This version does not have a recorded predicative possessive or reflexive form.

    In 1977, a version in which all forms starts with capital letters was independently created by psychologist Donald G. MacKay of the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1989 an identical version it was independently created by Victor J. Stone, Professor of Law.

    The ae/aer pronoun user flag

    Ae

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Ae Ae went to the store. /ei/
    Accusative Aer I met aer today. /ɛɹ/
    Pronominal Possessive Aer Ae walked aer dog today. /ɛɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Aers If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow aers. /ɛɹz/
    Reflexive Aerself Ae has to drive aerself to school. /ɛɹsɛlf/

    In his 1920 novel, A Voyage to Arcturus, David Lindsay invented the ae pronoun set for an alien race, which were born from air and of a third sex. These pronouns are still somewhat well known on the internet.

    The co/cos pronoun user flag

    Co

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Co Co went to the store. /ko/
    Accusative Co I met co today. /ko/
    Pronominal Possessive Cos Co walked cos dog today. /koz/
    Predicative Possessive Cos If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow cos. /koz/
    Reflexive Coself Co has to drive coself to school. /kosɛlf/

    Co was coined as a possible neutral pronoun by Mary Orovan in an eight-page pamphlet called Humanizing English, which was first published in 1970. The pronoun "co" was derived from the Indo-European *ko.[8][9] Today, co pronouns are still used in some communities, such as in the legal policies of Twin Oaks in Virginia, who first began using co as a neutral pronoun in 1972.[10]

    The vi/vir pronoun user flag

    Ve

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Ve/Vi Ve/Vi went to the store. /vi/
    Accusative Ver/Vir I met ver/vir today. /vəɹ/, /viɹ/ †
    Pronominal Possessive Vis Ve walked vis dog today. /viz/
    Predicative Possessive Vers/Virs If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow vers/virs. /vəɹz/, /viɹz/ †
    Reflexive Verself/Virself Ve has to drive verself/virself to school. /vəɹsɛlf/, /viɹsɛlf/ †

    †Both spellings can be pronounced either way.

    The ve pronoun set was created sometime in the early 1970s. It is unclear who originally invented this pronoun set or when, and it is possible that more than one individual created it independently. The most well known usage of ve comes from Greg Egan, who used it in his books Distress (1995) and Diaspora (1998).[11] Egan is sometimes credited with having created these pronouns, but this does not appear to be the case, and he has never claimed to have done so. An earlier example is in the novel The Bone People (1984) by Keri Hulme.[12] The earliest known example of ve comes from the 1970 May issue of Everywoman.[13] This set is nearly-identical but is incomplete. It included ve/vir/vis, with no predicative possessive and reflexive recorded.

    Xe

    The xe/xem pronoun user flag.
    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Xe Xe went to the store. /zi/
    Accusative Xem I met xem today. /zɛm/
    Pronominal Possessive Xyr Xe walked xyr dog today. /ziɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Xyrs If I need a phone, my friend will let me borrow xyrs. /ziɹz/
    Reflexive Xemself Xe has to drive xemself to school. /zɛmsɛlf/

    This pronoun set appears to have been first coined by Don Rickter in an issue of Unitarian Universalist published in May 1973. This coining is affirmed by Mario Pei, who gave Rickter credit in his 1978 book Weasel Words.[14] This set has a large amount of variations; alternate versions include:

    • Nominative: Xhe, xey
    • Accusative: Xer, xim, xym
    • Pronominal possessive: Xir, xis, xer, or xeir
    • Predicative possessive: Xirs, xis, xers, or xeirs
    • Reflexive: Xirself, xyrself, ximself, xymself, or xerself
    The per/pers pronoun user flag

    Per (person pronouns)

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Per or Person Per/person went to the store. /pəɹ/
    Accusative Per I met per today. /pəɹ/
    Pronominal Possessive Per Per walked per dog today. /pəɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Pers If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow pers. /pəɹz/
    Reflexive Perself Per has to drive perself to school. /pəɹsɛlf/

    Known as "person pronouns", these are meant to be used for an individual of any gender. John Clark created person pronouns in a 1972 issue of the Newsletter of the American Anthropological Association.[6] These pronouns were notably used in the 1976 novel Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy.

    Ey (Elverson pronouns)

    The ey/em pronoun user flag
    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Ey Ey went to the store. /eɪ/
    Accusative Em I met em today. /ɛm/
    Pronominal Possessive Eir Ey walked eir dog today. /ɛɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Eirs If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow eirs. /ɛɹz/
    Reflexive Emself Ey has to drive emself to school. /ɛmsɛlf/

    The Elverson pronouns were created by Christine M. Elverson of Skokie, Illinois, to win a contest to create an alternative to the singular they in 1975. They were formed by dropping the first two letters from they and its inflections.

    It is unclear what sort of lexical agreement these pronouns would take. The pronouns can only be used as singular pronouns, so they could presumably be conjugated the same way as other singular pronoun sets (ie: "Ey was eating.") However, since these pronouns were based on the they set, it may feel more natural for English speakers to say "Ey were eating." It is unclear which conjugation was intended, so either can be used. Most other neopronouns based on "e" or "ey" face the same problem.

    The hu/hum pronoun user flag

    Hu (humanist pronouns)

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Hu Hu went to the store. /hju/†
    Accusative Hum I met hum today. /hjum/
    Pronominal Possessive Hus Hu walked hus dog today. /hjuz/
    Predicative Possessive Hus If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow hus. /hjuz/
    Reflexive Huself Hu has to drive huself to school. /hjusɛlf/

    †Pronunciation is assumed to match that in 'human' both for the theme and to distinguish it from the word 'who.'

    Also known as "humanist pronouns," this set was created by Sasha Newborn in 1982, in a college humanities text. They are obviously based on the word human.[15] They could be considered the first instance of nounself pronouns.

    E (Spivak pronouns)

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative E E went to the store. /i/
    Accusative Em I met em today. /ɛm/
    Pronominal Possessive Eir E walked eir dog today. /ɛɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Eirs If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow eirs. /ɛɹz/
    Reflexive Emself E has to drive emself to school. /ɛmsɛlf/

    The "Spivak pronouns" were created in 1990 by Michael Spivak. They were used in his manual The Joy of TeX so that no one in his examples had a specified gender. The pronouns became somewhat well-known on the internet because they were built into the popular multi-user chat LambdaMOO in 1991. The pronouns then became a common feature of other multi-user chats made throughout the 1990s. In the 2019 Gender Census, 5.2% of participants indicated they were happy with Spivak pronouns being used to refer to them.[5] Spivak is credited with creating this set of pronouns, although his book does not claim that they are his own invention. It is not known whether Spivak was inspired by the other "E" pronouns that have existed or by the similar Elverson pronouns.

    Ze

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Ze Ze went to the store. /zi/
    Accusative Zir I met zir today. /zəɹ/
    Pronominal Possessive Zir Ze walked zir dog today. /zəɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Zirs If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow zirs. /zəɹz/
    Reflexive Zirself Ze has to drive zirself to school. /zəɹsɛlf/

    Similar to the xe pronoun set, there are several different versions of this pronoun set. Ze is also pronounced the same way as xe. It was likely based on the German plural third-person pronoun sie. The first known case of ze being used is in 1997, by Richard Creel, who proposed ze/zer/mer (reflexive form is not recorded).

    Another version was possibly independently created by Kate Bornstein in the 1998 book My Gender Workbook. This version uses ze (sometimes zie or sie) and hir. The most popular variation of these pronouns are based on this version and were created in 2013.

    The fae/faer pronoun user flag

    Fae

    Case Pronoun Example Pronunciation
    Nominative Fae Fae went to the store. /feɪ/
    Accusative Faer I met faer today. /fɛɹ/
    Pronominal Possessive Faer Fae walked faer dog today. /fɛɹ/
    Predicative Possessive Faers If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow faers. /fɛɹz/
    Reflexive Faerself Fae has to drive faerself to school. /fɛɹsɛlf/

    The fae pronouns are a set of neopronouns created by Tumblr user shadaras in 2013,[16] though it may have been created independently by someone else earlier. It is one of the most commonly used neopronoun sets, and can be used as either a non-themed or nounself pronoun set. It likely helped to popularise using nounself pronouns on the internet.

    Other

    These pronouns may or may not strictly fall into the category of neopronouns, but do not fall within the standard usage of pronouns in English.

    The it/its pronoun user flag.

    It

    Case Pronoun Example
    Nominative It It went to the store.
    Accusative It I met it today.
    Pronominal Possessive Its It walked its dog today.
    Predicative Possessive Its If I need a phone, my friend will let me borrow its.
    Reflexive Itself It has to drive itself to school.
    An alternate it/its pronouns flag

    It is the pronoun for inanimate objects in English, though some individuals choose to use this as a non-gendered pronoun. Using it to refer to a non-binary individual is considered offensive unless one is specifically told to use that pronoun.

    Some may consider it to be a neopronoun when used for individuals, while others do not. On the one hand, it is a recognized pronoun in English; however, it is typically only used for inanimate objects. Being used to refer to individuals is not conventionally part of it's usage.


    The one/one's pronoun user flag

    One

    Case Pronoun Example
    Nominative One One went to the store.
    Accusative One I met one today.
    Pronominal Possessive One's One walked one's dog today.
    Predicative Possessive One's If I need a phone my friend will let me borrow one's.
    Reflexive Oneself One has to drive oneself to school.

    One is a gender-neutral pronoun for a generic individual in English. It is typically used in formal speech when talking about individuals in general or someone hypothetical. Some individuals use one as a singular alternative to they.

    Alternating Pronouns

    Instead of using an alternative or gender-neutral pronoun set, some individuals prefer an alternation between the binary-gendered sets. For example: "When he does not get a haircut, her hair grows long." Alternating pronouns are used in some legal documents to make them gender-inclusive.

    No Pronouns/Pronoun Dropping

    Also called non-pronouns, null pronouns, or pronounless. Some individuals prefer not to be referred to by third-person pronouns of any kind. Instead of using pronouns, an individual may be referred to by name, an epithet, or the sentence can be rephrased to omit pronouns, typically by using the passive voice.

    Nounself Pronouns

    Nounself pronouns are type of neopronoun that are derived from an existing word. They are commonly, but not always, used by xenic individuals who may want to use a pronoun set that corresponds with their xenogender, or some other aspect of themself. For example, someone who is catgender may use nya/nyan pronouns.

    Emojiself Pronouns

    Emojiself pronouns are a subcategory of nounself pronouns, which are pronouns that, instead of using letters, utilize emojis (eg. 💫/💫's/💫self). These pronouns are not intended to be pronounced out loud and are only intended for online communication. In spoken conversation one may or may not use pronouns that are based on the emoji (eg. 💀/💀s skull/skulls).

    Nameself Pronouns

    Nameself pronouns are a type of neopronoun that derive from an individual's name, or a shortened/altered version of it. It can sometimes be considered a form of pronoun dropping. For example, someone named Samantha may use sam/sams pronouns.

    Object Pronouns

    Objectself are a type of neopronoun which refers itself to objects, these could be related to food, to furniture, to anything that is considered an ‘object’ which by definition would be a physical thing. For example a person may use choco/chocolate pronouns.

    Flags

    The purple neopronoun flag was designed by‎ DeviantArt user Geekycorn on April 25, 2020. The stripes, in order, represent agender neopronoun users, neopronoun-using men, neopronoun-using women, nonbinary/genderqueer/other neopronoun users, and multigender neopronoun users.

    The green and orange neopronoun flag was designed by Tumblr user Ferns-Garden/Beanjamoose on or before July 1, 2019. The flag is used by the blog yourfave-uses-neopronouns.[17] Green is for masculine-identifying neopronoun users, blue is for older pronoun sets and the history behind them, white is for non-binary identifying neopronoun users, yellow is for newer pronoun sets and the happiness that comes from them, and orange is for feminine-identifying neopronoun users.

    The green and purple neopronoun flag was redesigned by Tumblr user Uncommongenders on June 5, 2018. The meaning is unknown.[18][19]

    The xe/xem flag and the it/its flag were designed by Tumblr user love-all-around1223 on April 14 and April 15, 2018, respectively.[20][21] The alternate it/its neopronoun flag was made by DeviantArt user GeekyCorn.

    The ae/aer, ey/em, co/cos, ve/vir and thon/thons flags were designed by mourningmogaicrew on Tumblr on June 17, 2021. [22] The per/pers, fae/faer, one/one's, hu/hum and e/em flags were designed by the same user on June 20, 2021. [23]

    References

    1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100418022839/http://www.aetherlumina.com/gnp/history.html
    2. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20080630041424/http://www.bartleby.com/64/C005/004.html
    3. ↑ https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://nonbinary.wiki/&httpsredir=1&article=1203&context=honors
    4. ↑ https://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=43422
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://gendercensus.com/post/183832246805/gender-census-2019-the-full-report-worldwide
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/essays/epicene.htm
    7. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20070310130020/http://aetherlumina.com/gnp/listing.html
    8. ↑ Mary Orovan's Humanizing English pamphlet.
    9. ↑ Atlantic article referencing co pronouns.
    10. ↑ Twin Oaks website referencing co pronouns.
    11. ↑ http://www.urticator.net/essay/0/30.html
    12. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1580481-gender-neutral-characters-and-pronouns
    13. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20070310130020/http://aetherlumina.com/gnp/listing.html
    14. ↑ https://books.google.com/books/about/Weasel_words.html?id=j9RZAAAAMAAJ
    15. ↑ http://www.hupronoun.org/
    16. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20210228185937/https://heterosexualisnotadefault.tumblr.com/post/635251444970291201/pronouns-i-have-encountered-in-no-particular-order
    17. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://yourfave-uses-neopronouns.tumblr.com/post/185988230593/the-flag-and-meaning
    18. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20181216171544/https://uncommongenders.tumblr.com/post/174605594564/okay-so-i-wanted-to-make-hq-versions-of
    19. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://uncommongenders.home.blog/2018/06/05/okay-so-i-wanted-to-make-hq-versions-of/
    20. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172939520081/are-there-flags-for-pronouns
    21. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://love-all-around1223.tumblr.com/post/172959084791/are-there-flags-for-pronouns
    22. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://mourningmogaicrew.tumblr.com/post/654242515400245248/specific-neopronoun-flags
    23. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/https://mourningmogaicrew.tumblr.com/post/654510105426083840/specific-neo-flags-part-2
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