Pronouns

Pronouns are the small words we use to refer to people: he, she, they. Sharing yours (she/her, he/him, they/them) in an email signature or a round of introductions has become common courtesy in much of the English-speaking world — it spares everyone the guessing. Singular they as a gender-neutral pronoun is recognized by major dictionaries, and it is no novelty: English speakers have used it for centuries.

Chinese is a fascinating case study. In speech, “he” (他) and “she” (她) are pronounced identically — tā — so spoken Mandarin is gender-neutral by default; the distinction only exists in writing. Better still: the written character 她 (“she”) is itself an invention popularized in the 1920s during the vernacular language movement — before that, written Chinese didn’t distinguish either. So “pronouns evolve” is not a hypothesis in Chinese; it is documented history. Today’s community and internet writing often uses the letterform “TA” as a neutral option, serving nonbinary people and anyone who would rather not be guessed at.

Practical notes: when unsure, ask — “what should I call you?” beats guessing wrong. And when you do slip, correct briefly, apologize once, move on (see misgender).

Register note: “pronouns” is everyday usage in English; Chinese speakers say 代词 or use the English word.

Common misuse: “preferred pronouns.” The phrase is being retired even in English — pronouns are not a preference, any more than your name is. Just say “her pronouns.”