They All: An Emerging Pronoun
School Name
South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Psychology
Presentation Type
Mentored
Abstract
This study explores the potential adoption of "they all" (or "th’all") as an emerging third-person plural pronoun that addresses linguistic and social issues posed by the singular "they." While the singular "they" has been endorsed for its inclusivity, its dual usage in both the singular and plural cases can confuse readers and speakers, hindering its broader acceptance. Additionally, resistance to the singular "they" is often tied to deeply rooted societal views on gender and opposition to non-binary identities. Drawing inspiration from the evolution of the plural "you" into "you all" (in Southern American English), this research proposes "they all" as a parallel innovation to clarify plurality and reduce discomfort associated with pronoun use. A survey of Southern American English speakers was conducted to test this hypothesis, analyzing their perceptions of gendered language, political ideology, and familiarity with informal pronouns. Perceptions of gendered language refer to how participants rated selected words on how masculine or feminine they were, detailing their agreement with the concept of gender as a binary. Participants also evaluated audio clips containing various pronouns, including "they all." This study hypothesizes that weaker adherence to the gender binary predicts higher acceptance of "they all."
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Robert, "They All: An Emerging Pronoun" (2025). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 57.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2025/all/57
Location
PENNY 304
Start Date
4-5-2025 10:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral Only
Group Project
No
They All: An Emerging Pronoun
PENNY 304
This study explores the potential adoption of "they all" (or "th’all") as an emerging third-person plural pronoun that addresses linguistic and social issues posed by the singular "they." While the singular "they" has been endorsed for its inclusivity, its dual usage in both the singular and plural cases can confuse readers and speakers, hindering its broader acceptance. Additionally, resistance to the singular "they" is often tied to deeply rooted societal views on gender and opposition to non-binary identities. Drawing inspiration from the evolution of the plural "you" into "you all" (in Southern American English), this research proposes "they all" as a parallel innovation to clarify plurality and reduce discomfort associated with pronoun use. A survey of Southern American English speakers was conducted to test this hypothesis, analyzing their perceptions of gendered language, political ideology, and familiarity with informal pronouns. Perceptions of gendered language refer to how participants rated selected words on how masculine or feminine they were, detailing their agreement with the concept of gender as a binary. Participants also evaluated audio clips containing various pronouns, including "they all." This study hypothesizes that weaker adherence to the gender binary predicts higher acceptance of "they all."
