this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2024
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Xi wants to experiment with using xi/drag person-independent pronouns on this account. So far xi likes using the pronouns, but xi's only written 4 comments and already someone accused drag of talking about Chinese politics when xi mentioned dragself. Xi knows xi's pronouns are confusing, so xi would like to put xi's pronouns in xi's displayname to clear things up.

But the character limit for display names on lemmy.nz is only 22 characters, and xi's handle already takes up 16 characters. Xi would need 24 characters to put xi's pronouns in xi's display name. Xi knows some instances also have a separate field for pronouns, and the pronouns get displayed next to the name without taking up displayname characters. Xi would like a place, or at least enough room, for xi's pronouns, please.

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[–] absGeekNZ 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Xi knows xi’s pronouns are confusing, so xi would like to put xi’s pronouns in xi’s displayname to clear things up.

Reading this is a little confusing; I am trying to map the pronoun to the usual grammatical structure and it is difficult.

It would be good if there was another line in this image for 3rd person, gender neutral pronouns.

What should be in that imaginary line

[–] Ilovethebomb 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Why not just use the bottom line for third person?

[–] absGeekNZ 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I get that, but this person is specifically not using they/them; I'm just trying to figure out how "Xi" works, in the context of normal grammar.

Xi say(s); there are only two pronouns which is "simpler"; but English is built around having the regular five.

e.g. in the following sentence, I'm unsure what pronouns Xi would use:

This opinion is mine; you have yours. That is fine, we don't have to agree.

We would still use "yours" when referring to Xi in the second person (I assume); but what would Xi use as the personal possessive pronoun?

[–] Ilovethebomb 4 points 1 month ago

It doesn't really work at all in my view, which is why you hear xi as a pronoun so rarely.