The Strangeness of Pronouns

The unique characteristics of English pronoun usage, including the capitalization of "I" and the absence of formal and familiar pronoun tenses, can be seen as reflections of English culture and societal values.

The capitalization of "I" in English signifies a sense of individualism and self-importance that has been deeply ingrained in Western culture. It highlights the emphasis on personal identity and autonomy, which can be traced back to philosophical and cultural developments in English-speaking societies. The capitalization serves as a visual reminder of the significance placed on the self and individual agency.

Similarly, the absence of a formal and familiar pronoun tense in English reflects a cultural inclination towards egalitarianism and informality. English-speaking societies tend to value equality and the notion that all individuals should be treated with the same level of respect and familiarity. By not distinguishing between formal and familiar pronoun forms, English promotes a more egalitarian communication style, where social hierarchies are downplayed.

In contrast to English, other cultures with distinct values exhibit different pronoun usage, offering insights into their unique cultural perspectives. For instance, in some languages, the collective nature of society is reflected in the inclusive pronouns used. These pronouns encompass not only the speaker and listener but also include family members and other close individuals. This inclusive approach emphasizes communal bonds and highlights the importance placed on interconnectedness and extended kinship networks within the culture.

[darkfent]

You're not I when you're hungry...wait...

[worldhola]

In Korea we usually use “our” as “my”.
Like “our mother”, “our brother”, “our wife”.

[PlzCamDown]

In Japanese, we try to avoid any type of pronoun because it can be rude or too direct. Instead we say name or description.

[ordinaryextraordinary]

bro why are so many people trying to argue a pronoun can’t be singular and plural at the same time? gonna cancel the word “you” for being too woke

[Unknown-fbhj]

as an Italian person I was fucking dying when you showed Italian and then didn't include us

[aslik.]

As a German we had an mnemonic sentence in English class " The English love themselves, so the I must always be in capital letter."

[adelehare]

that actually makes a lot of sense to have different words for “me now” and “me later” and “me in the past”! i like that

[kittyplayz]

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Singular they
Predates singular you

[edkhil]

Bro included Italian and then forgot about it 💀

[FBI-A]

"I-ke"

My brain for some reason: *Ikea*

[slugwhale]

My dad said "I don't care i'm not calling *them* they/them"

[s_lasgalen]

In my native tongue, Russian, all people who's gender is unknown are referred to with a masculine form. We don't do they/them but we also don't say he/she, neutral is always he. The reason for this is that all nouns in Russian are gendered and the word for human is masculine.

[MaxAim]

Japanese has so many different words for I. Watashi, atashi, watakushi, washi, boku, ore, oira, etc. Each with its own subtleties.

[michaelheliotis]

Kanak bros have literally made "future me" a functional part of their language. 🤣
"Yeah, but that's a problem for i-ke."

[prototype]

So Skylar was having Spanish lessons:
"I'm Skylar White yo"

[Sleeping_Sparrow]

*Russian:* Allow me to introduce myself…

[TheBanditKingKir]

Bro did a subtle insult to Italians when he included Italian in the list then just skipped them lol

[полное_пузо_хинкалей]

Spanish people when they talk about themselves be like

[Verbalaesthet]

I think the capitalisation probably comes from the fact that it is only one letter and so you can more easily see what is meant. Separates it from other words.

[TheCesmi]

In Turkish we don't have gendered pronouns, we only have a single gender neutral pronoun which is "O".