Merriam-Webster declares 'they' its 2019 word of the year

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The language mavens at Merriam-Webster have declared the personal pronoun their word of the year based on a 313 percent increase in look-ups on the company's search site, Merriam-Webster.com, this year when compared with 2018. “I have to say it's surprising to me,” said Peter Sokolowski, a lexicographer

NEW YORK — A common but increasingly mighty and very busy little word, “they,” has an accolade all its own.

Sokolowski and his team monitor spikes in searches and “they” got an early start last January with the rise of model Oslo Grace on top fashion runways. The Northern Californian identifies as transgender nonbinary, walking in both men's and women's shows around the world. “We believe writers should try to use a person's self-identified pronoun whenever feasible,” said Jasper Simons, chief publishing officer for the APA. “The singular ‘they’ is a way for writers to avoid making assumptions about gender when it is not known.”

Sokolowski told The Associated Press that “they,” one of a handful of nonbinary pronouns to emerge in recent years, is “here to stay.” Nick Adams, director of transgender representation for the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, said Merriam-Webster's choice is a positive step in acknowledging nonbinary people.

 

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