Reference > Usage > American Heritage® Book of English Usage > 5. Gender > § 19. epicene pronouns
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The American Heritage® Book of English Usage.
A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English.  1996.

5. Gender: Sexist Language and Assumptions

§ 19. epicene pronouns


Some writers use common-gender pronouns that people have invented. These range from the somewhat common (s/he) to the downright obscure (ip, wun). Writers who use these forms often are trying to make a point about the role of the masculine generic in maintaining the invisibility of women in society. Books written using only these specially coined pronouns have the unusual virtue of concealing the sex of a character.    1
  More at epicene pronouns.    2


The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
 
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