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#1 tgwill Dec 08, 2013 12:11:05

As part of my graduate sociolinguistics class, I am examining the question of pronoun usage in D&D. Different editions of D&D have had different ways of handling gendered pronouns. In 2nd Edition, the masculine pronoun was used generically. However, when 3e was released both masculine and feminine pronouns were used with the gender of the pronoun dependent on the character being described. I remember the online debates provoked by this switch to both masculine and feminine pronouns. Some players felt that it was more inclusive to female gamers while others felt that it sounded awkward.  As part of my project, I'd like to hear your opinions on pronoun usage. The way I understand it there are five main strategies for handling pronouns. 1. The generic masculine. All generic pronouns are masculine with the assumption that female characters are included. This is the traditional rule of English writing and the way pronoun usage was handled in the 2nd Edition manuals. 2. Using both masculine and feminine pronouns concurrently.  (i.e. 'he or she', 'his or her', 'him or her')  This was used quite a bit in the 1st Edition manuals.   3. Switching between masculine and feminine pronouns. There should be a balance between masculine and feminine pronouns, so some characters or situations should use a masculine pronoun and some should use a feminine pronoun. (For example, the DM would be described by a feminine pronoun whereas players would be described with masculine pronouns.) 4. Using 'they' as a generic. Even when the referent is a singular, 'they' is used as a pronoun. 5. Avoiding pronouns altogether. This may get a little tricky because English speakers generally find it unnatural to repeat the subject over and over without resorting to a pronoun. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter.