“They” Is Now Officially a Nonbinary Personal Pronoun, According to Merriam-Webster

For the past two and a half years, the Associated Press has been recognizing “they” as a singular pronoun, and now America’s oldest dictionary has announced they will do the same: Merriam-Webster now includes “they” as a grammatically correct nonbinary pronoun.

Their blog post notes that people have been doing so colloquially since the 1300s, citing (among other instances) a letter from Emily Dickenson that was written in 1881. In it, she refers to a person of unknown gender with the pronouns “they,” “theirs,” and “themself.”

The dictionary does acknowledge the new application of “they,” i.e. referring to a person who doesn’t identify as male or female as opposed to referring to a person of unknown or unimportant gender. They’ll be adding this additional entry to the existing verbiage for “they”: “used to refer to a single person whose gender identity is nonbinary.”

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#peoplearepeople #theyisapronoun #transrightsarehumanrights

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So, writer friends, it’s now officially acceptable to use “they” as a singular pronoun – one less thing to skip during copy edits, right?

Thanks, Merriam-Webster, for all of the many reasons to celebrate.

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10 Additions to the Dictionary That Are So 2019, it’s Ridiculous

Language never stops evolving, and nobody knows that better than the editors of the dictionary. The Merriam-Webster editors added over 640 words to the dictionary in April 2019 alone!!! Some of the words are brand new (like “buzzy”) and others have simply taken on new meanings (like “snowflake”).

When dictionaries add new words, they’re always a great, spot-on reflection of the current cultural moment, and these are no different. Here are 10 new words that will make you sigh and say, “Yep, this is 2019 alright.”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

1. Unplug

Unplug: “To temporarily refrain from using electronic devices (such as computers or smartphones).”

2. Receipts

Receipts: “pluralinformal PROOF EVIDENCE.”

As in: “I 100% believe that Prince William is cheating on Kate Middleton but I need someone to show me the receipts.”

3. Peak

Peak: “Being at the height of popularity, use, or attention —used before the name of a product, person, cultural trend, etc.”

4. Vulture Capitalism

Vulture capitalism: “A form of venture capitalism in which aggressive methods are used to buy a distressed business with the intention of selling it at a profit.”

5. Gig Economy

Gig economy: “Economic activity that involves the use of temporary or freelance workers to perform jobs typically in the service sector.”

6. Stan

Stan is “slang, often disparaging” to mean “an extremely or excessively enthusiastic and devoted fan.”

Photo Credit: Wattpad

7. On-Brand

On-brand: “Appropriate to, typical of, consistent with, or supportive of a particular brand or public image or identity.”

An example from Merriam-Webster: “It’s time to do an overhaul of your [Facebook] profile to ensure it’s professional and on-brand.” (Via Cheryl Lock.)

8. Buzzy

Buzzy: “Causing or characterized by a lot of speculative or excited talk or attention generating buzz.”

9. Screen Time

Screen time: “Time spent watching television, playing a video game, or using an electronic device with a screen (such as a smartphone or tablet).”

10. Snowflake

Snowflake: “Someone who is overly sensitive.”

As in: “One side derides the youth driving the movement as snowflakes and social justice warriors, too sensitive and too politically correct.” (Via Vanessa McCray.)

Yup, it’s 2019 alright.

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