They as a Gender-neutral Alternative to Bias
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The purpose of this study is to examine the gender bias present in contemporary English and explore the rationale and usage of the gender-neutral pronoun they as an alternative expression. In order to conduct the research, an analysis was conducted on the use of the generic pronoun he in English, as well as the meaning and examples of the pronoun they used to refer to indefinite pronouns and gender-neutral nouns. By observing the prohibition of singular usage for the pronoun they and the prevalent generic use of the masculine singular pronoun he, the study confirms the persistence of gender bias in modern English, which is a result of 19th-century prescriptive grammar influenced by unfounded and subjective male-centric norms. As a linguistic alternative, the study explores the alternative usage of the historically and semantically valid gender-neutral pronoun they. Through this research, the identification of gender-biased expressions in English and the need to enhance learners’ understanding and eliminate linguistic gender bias in English grammar education are underscored.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the gender bias present in contemporary English and explore the rationale and usage of the gender-neutral pronoun they as an alternative expression. In order to conduct the research, an analysis was conducted on the use of the generic pronoun he in English, as well as the meaning and examples of the pronoun they used to refer to indefinite pronouns and gender-neutral nouns. By observing the prohibition of singular usage for the pronoun they and the prevalent generic use of the masculine singular pronoun he, the study confirms the persistence of gender bias in modern English, which is a result of 19th-century prescriptive grammar influenced by unfounded and subjective male-centric norms. As a linguistic alternative, the study explores the alternative usage of the historically and semantically valid gender-neutral pronoun they. Through this research, the identification of gender-biased expressions in English and the need to enhance learners’ understanding and eliminate linguistic gender bias in English grammar education are underscored.
참고문헌 (22)
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