Most of us use pronouns frequently in speaking and writing. We are familiar with most types and therefore use them almost without thinking, (e.g., “I,” ”we,” and “they.“) What may surprise you, ...

Two weeks ago, we started the series on word classes. And last week, we delved into report writing. I thought it would be useful to intersperse the series, so we go back to word classes this week. We ...

It can happen to anyone: As you’re talking, you hear yourself say, “I heard that she—wait, I mean he!” A pronoun slip can be embarrassing, especially if you pride yourself on being generally good at ...

Nothing may be more personal than how people refer to us. Using a person’s chosen name and desired pronouns is a form of mutual respect and basic courtesy. Everyone deserves to have their ...

Purchase this and other timeless New Criterion essays in our hard-copy reprint series. Philosophers of language spend a lot of time debating the ins and outs of the semantics of names. I am a linguist ...

You may have heard of the singular “they/them” pronouns, often used by non-binary people as a gender-neutral pronoun in place of “she/her” and “he/him”. But while more and more people are becoming ...