pronounsremains

Pronounsremains is a proposed term used in discussions of pronoun dynamics to describe the residual pronoun forms that persist in language after individuals adopt new pronouns or after broader social changes in pronoun usage. The term helps differentiate current user preferences from older or lingering pronoun forms encountered in texts and speech.

Etymology and scope: Pronounsremains blends “pronouns” with “remains.” It is not yet standardized and appears mainly in exploratory discourse about how languages accommodate legacy pronouns alongside evolving practices. It can apply to individual cases, text corpora, or institutional materials where older pronoun forms continue to appear.

Usage: Researchers and writers may reference pronounsremains when analyzing bodies of language that mix pronoun usage or when describing how historical documents retain gendered pronouns. It can also describe inertia in institutions, such as official forms, signage, or archives that retain earlier pronoun conventions even as community practices shift.

Criticism and alternatives: Some linguists find pronounsremains ambiguous or overly broad. Alternatives include legacy pronouns, historical pronouns, or pronoun remnants, which may offer clearer distinctions in specific contexts.

See also: pronouns, gender identity, language change, sociolinguistics.