this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023

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-12

Custom pronouns in other languages (lemmy.my.id)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Where can I find translation of US custom pronouns to other languages? Thanks

all 9 comments

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Depends heavily on the languages because it's not like there's just English and then all other languages.

I think it's Swedish that has a universal third person pronoun, so it's already implemented there. Germanic languages are probably similar to English in that the most familiar option is to use singular "they". Spanish uses "elle"/"su" as gender-neutral they/their. Korean doesn't distinguish gender in third person pronouns at all, and neither does spoken Chinese (Mandarin at least, but probably most or all dialects).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Thanks

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

in my language we have exactly one pronoun for everyone in 3rd person: ő

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

There's no real consensus on translating neopronouns, so different translation approaches are used depending on the needs of the translation and its target language. It's a good idea in any case to provide translation notes or glosses for anything that might get lost in translation.

What I'd personally recommend is this:

When writing about a real person, ask yourself:

Can I ask this person for translation recommendations?
If yes, translate according to the recommendations.
If no, does this person also go by pronouns which are easier to translate?
If yes, use those pronouns instead of the neopronouns.
If no, use the "default" gender-neutral terms of the target language.

When writing about a fictional character, ask yourself:

Can I ask the original author for translation recommendations?
If yes, translate according to the recommendations.
If no, use whatever feels right.

Avoiding pronouns entirely, leaving the neopronoun untranslated, or matching the neopronoun with one from the target language, are all translation approaches that may be more appropriate in some situations, but which also present unique challenges for the translator.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

1 post, 0 comments, fresh account? And you post a question you already know the answer to, just to trigger "both" sides?

Common, this is not the community contribution we need..

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I really don't know. I did notice most have roots in english language "hir" or adding "x", but I can't find it in other languages.

If this is universal, I guess it should have some roots in other languages. I don't want to insult my friends and I'm not comfortable to ask, they might say that I'm "x-fob" for not knowing.

The description of this community is "A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions"

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

You can't tell me you post isn't bait. Google motherfcker they list neo-pronouns in other languages.

I can speak for German and say:

It doesn't work. It barely works in English, and some people already hate it there.

Basically all European languages and many more have Gender Cases. You would not only have to "invent" a pronouns, but also like 50 different endings and grammatical rules. You could just use one of the existing set endings I, but then the sentence sounds again just male, female or neutral, wich is the exact thing neo-pronouns don't want to do.

And btw., if your "friends" call you names for not knowing such things l, they are not your friends.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

thanks