The Radical History and Politics of English Pronouns
Well-Informed & Open-Minded · HS
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Show Notes
Tiny words are carrying an outsized political weight. Pronouns—once barely noticed—have become flashpoints in cultural debates, prompting claims that language itself is under threat. Drawing on his latest book, John McWhorter argues that this panic misunderstands how English actually works. In this episode, we explore how pronouns have always shifted over time, from the disappearance of “thou” to the long, uneven rise of the singular “they,” and why many grammatical rules are more historical accident than sacred law. By placing today’s arguments in a much longer linguistic story, the episode suggests that discomfort with new pronouns is not evidence of decline—but a familiar stage in the endless evolution of language.
https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/04/10/pronouns-have-become-extremely-divisive