Comments on: Ze Didn’t Start The Fire http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/ Free Minds, Free Markets, Free Booze Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:17:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Lauren http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2817 Lauren Fri, 30 Jul 2004 04:43:51 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2817 Also, Timbo, I have the same problem with the pronunciation of "hir" as compared to "her." And Jan, I love WZF! Awesome. Also, Timbo, I have the same problem with the pronunciation of “hir” as compared to “her.”
And Jan, I love WZF! Awesome.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2816 Lauren Fri, 30 Jul 2004 04:41:47 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2816 Olly, I can't believe you're supporting using "them" as a non-gendered singular pronoun. I'm disappointed. I personally advocate the use of passive voice, "it," "one," or, if I must, "he/she" when referring to a generic person or a person of unknown gender. But though I am trying to respect Toby's (there's your genitive, Olly) wishes, well, we *know* what gender Toby is. Also, we could just constantly refer to Toby as Toby and thereby avoid pronouns completely ... Olly, I can’t believe you’re supporting using “them” as a non-gendered singular pronoun. I’m disappointed.

I personally advocate the use of passive voice, “it,” “one,” or, if I must, “he/she” when referring to a generic person or a person of unknown gender. But though I am trying to respect Toby’s (there’s your genitive, Olly) wishes, well, we *know* what gender Toby is. Also, we could just constantly refer to Toby as Toby and thereby avoid pronouns completely …

]]> By: Timbo http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2815 Timbo Thu, 29 Jul 2004 19:40:13 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2815 How do you pronouce 'hir'? My mouth wants to say it just like I'd say 'her'. Or maybe 'here'. So how would you tell the difference? Either way, here's a rule of thumb: If people get your new word confused with one of the old words it's meant to replace, then you've made a poor choice for a new word. Also, wiktionary.com might be of interest. It's by the folks that bring us wikipedia.org, the best idea in recent memory. How do you pronouce ‘hir’? My mouth wants to say it just like I’d say ‘her’. Or maybe ‘here’. So how would you tell the difference? Either way, here’s a rule of thumb: If people get your new word confused with one of the old words it’s meant to replace, then you’ve made a poor choice for a new word.

Also, wiktionary.com might be of interest. It’s by the folks that bring us wikipedia.org, the best idea in recent memory.

]]> By: Jan http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2814 Jan Thu, 29 Jul 2004 18:18:51 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2814 So, clearly he's a he if his parents say he's a he. But he wants to be a ze despite his he status. Therefore, what ze has actually accomplished in the end is identifying as a he -- and misspelling it. Out of respect for hir, I will use the gender-neutral form of this: WZF?!? So, clearly he’s a he if his parents say he’s a he. But he wants to be a ze despite his he status. Therefore, what ze has actually accomplished in the end is identifying as a he — and misspelling it.

Out of respect for hir, I will use the gender-neutral form of this: WZF?!?

]]> By: Olly http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2813 Olly Thu, 29 Jul 2004 15:48:33 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2813 Parents? Fascists, more like! They're trying to dictate his - shit, hang on a second - trying to dictate the gender identity belonging to hir! (See what I mean? We really need a genitive here.) Parents? Fascists, more like! They’re trying to dictate his - shit, hang on a second - trying to dictate the gender identity belonging to hir!

(See what I mean? We really need a genitive here.)

]]> By: Mene http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2812 Mene Thu, 29 Jul 2004 15:37:25 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2812 (After reading the actual link)...hell, one of HM's mothers calls him a "him." Problem solved: Ask the parents. (After reading the actual link)…hell, one of HM’s mothers calls him a “him.”

Problem solved: Ask the parents.

]]> By: Mene http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2811 Mene Thu, 29 Jul 2004 15:32:47 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2811 Yes, because the english language isn't confusing enough already, we at the University of Oregon are fully committed to making everyone's head hurt just that much more. Curse you, ASUO pawns. Yes, because the english language isn’t confusing enough already, we at the University of Oregon are fully committed to making everyone’s head hurt just that much more.

Curse you, ASUO pawns.

]]> By: Olly http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2810 Olly Thu, 29 Jul 2004 14:29:31 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2810 Gosh, you typed the whole alphabet. I can certainly understand not wanting to be called "it". "They", I think, would be non-gendered without being non-human, although it would be clunky - and it still wouldn't make us sound very "complex", would it? Committed as I am to supporting Hill-Meyer's pronounical wishes, though, ze has left me slightly confused. What's the genitive form? Or are we left with constructions like "the hilarity ensuing from the ridiculous made-up word belonging to hir"? Because that's going to make things tricky. (We're going to need a bigger boat! With some more words in it!) Gosh, you typed the whole alphabet.

I can certainly understand not wanting to be called “it”. “They”, I think, would be non-gendered without being non-human, although it would be clunky - and it still wouldn’t make us sound very “complex”, would it?

Committed as I am to supporting Hill-Meyer’s pronounical wishes, though, ze has left me slightly confused. What’s the genitive form? Or are we left with constructions like “the hilarity ensuing from the ridiculous made-up word belonging to hir”? Because that’s going to make things tricky.

(We’re going to need a bigger boat! With some more words in it!)

]]> By: Timothy http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2809 Timothy Thu, 29 Jul 2004 03:22:49 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2809 Jan: OSPIRG, Anything done by the Cultural Forum ever. Nongendered style: I don't see what the big fucking problem is, we already have a nongendered pronoun in English, "it." That's right, if you're not satisfied with "he" or "she" or "him" or "her", then you can just get stuck with plain old "it", you do not get to invent words you fucking jokers. Kleckner and his precious LGBTQABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ agenda be damned. Jan: OSPIRG, Anything done by the Cultural Forum ever.

Nongendered style: I don’t see what the big fucking problem is, we already have a nongendered pronoun in English, “it.” That’s right, if you’re not satisfied with “he” or “she” or “him” or “her”, then you can just get stuck with plain old “it”, you do not get to invent words you fucking jokers. Kleckner and his precious LGBTQABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ agenda be damned.

]]> By: Jan http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2808 Jan Thu, 29 Jul 2004 01:31:16 +0000 http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2004/07/28/ze-didnt-start-the-fire/#comment-2808 Laaaaaaaaaaaaaame! Politically correct schmolitcally correct. On that subject, though, I have it on good authority that ASUO spent nearly $5,000 to hire the guy who organized that "My Own Story" event. That's about, oh, $5,000 for every person sitting in the audience! It leaves just one question: what incredibly ridiculous thing can ASUO possibly spend money on to top THAT? Laaaaaaaaaaaaaame! Politically correct schmolitcally correct.

On that subject, though, I have it on good authority that ASUO spent nearly $5,000 to hire the guy who organized that “My Own Story” event. That’s about, oh, $5,000 for every person sitting in the audience! It leaves just one question: what incredibly ridiculous thing can ASUO possibly spend money on to top THAT?

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