Use Of Pronouns Research Articles

Speaking of yourself: A meta-analysis of 80years of research on pronoun use in schizophrenia.

Speaking of yourself: A meta-analysis of 80years of research on pronoun use in schizophrenia.

The reader in the text across time and genres

The development of uses of reader (third-person and vocative) are investigated in the Corpus of Late Modern English Text (1710-1920) with regard to frequencies and functions. Overall, reader declines, indicating a shift away from nominal and more formal style. Third-person uses are more common than vocatives, which cluster especially in the early nineteenth century and in emotive, personalized texts. A functional analysis is carried out on treatises and narrative fiction. Readers are positioned and (dis)aligned with the writer through the use of possessive pronouns, quantifiers and adjectives in contrast to bare unmodified uses. Reader occurrences may be explained as metadiscourse (Hyland, 2005) or intersubjective uses. They involve the reader in responsive thought or action with the text and steer them towards interpretations. They are also integrated into emotive and attitudinal contexts, in which overt attention is given to the face needs of the reader.

P184 Health inequalities and gender - life with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA)

Abstract Background/Aims Previous studies have indicated that there are inequalities for women in the diagnosis and management of axial SpA. LQBTQ+ people experience significant inequalities in healthcare more generally in terms of healthcare service provision, health outcomes and risk factors, and in comparison to cis-heterosexual populations, greater incidence of poor mental health, risk of suicide and self-harm.The present study sought to understand more deeply people’s clinical and personal experiences through the lens of sex, gender and gender identity, addressing the following areas: Living with axial SpA (health inequality through a gendered lens) Length to diagnosis and experience of seeking diagnosis of axial SpA Discrimination, ignorance and stigma - gender identity, sexuality (LGBTQ+) Other impacts Methods This used a combination of online focus groups and interviews with participants initially recruited using social media and email channels. 25 individuals were interviewed: 10 females, 11 males and 4 individuals who identified as gender diverse. Within the sample we interviewed 9 individuals from minoritised communities. Participants’ ages ranged from 23 - 59. We explored participants’ experience of their diagnosis of axial SpA with a focus on length of time to diagnosis and living with axial SpA and its impact on the individual. For each topic, we asked participants about their experiences with questions that highlighted the influence or impact of gender on those experiences. Results All participants: Felt age had played a role in their delayed diagnosis. Found that having supportive health care professionals who listened to their concerns made a significant difference to their confidence in managing their axial SpA. Women: Had a delayed diagnosis due to misconceptions about axial SpA being ‘a man’s disease,’ especially if they didn’t have the typical low back pain, often being misdiagnosed.Didn’t feel they could discuss issues such as fertility, pregnancy and menopause. Found being considered ‘the nurturer’ for children presented emotional and physical difficulties. Men: Found gender stereotyping had impacted on their diagnosis, with manual labour or lifestyle symptoms often being blamed for symptoms. Were concerned about their abilities to be ‘an active dad.’ Are more likely to struggle on with a ‘stiff upper lip’. Gender diverse people: Were less open about discussing their experiences. Did not feel comfortable revealing their gender status to their health care professionals. Found NHS use of gendered pronouns frustrating and distressing. Conclusion More gender specific research is needed from both a clinical and non-clinical perspective, to enable health care professionals to deliver the best possible care. More research is needed amongst the LGBTQ+ community who were reticent to discuss their experiences in comparison to cis-het participants. The psychological impact of living with axial SpA across genders should be investigated further. Health care professionals should be adequately trained to understand gender diversity. Disclosure J.M. Hamilton: None. A. Drury: None. A. Hardy: None. D. Webb: None.

Humans or animals? The linguistic representation of animal characters in original and translated Finnish picture books for children

This article examines pronominal references to anthropomorphic animal characters in contemporary Finnish-language picture books for children ( N = 531). In the Finnish language, the choice of third person pronoun is a key means of distinguishing humans from other animals. The study shows that animal characters in children’s literature are linguistically placed between humans and nonhumans: in about half of the analysed books, the pronoun typically referring to humans refers to the animal characters, whereas in the other half of the data, the pronoun referring to nonhumans is used. A quantitative analysis reveals that the use of the human personal pronoun correlates with the number of human-like traits the characters possess. The analysis shows that pronoun variation has a variety of functions in picture books. Different pronouns may refer to different characters, indicating their degree of humanity, and the treatment of characters as human or nonhuman may also change as the story progresses. The human pronoun can be used in dialogue to indicate that the characters treat each other as persons. On the other hand, since there are differences in the Finnish pronoun system between the spoken and written variety, pronoun variation can mark a dialogue as colloquial. The study compares original and translated Finnish literature, revealing some differences. Finnish authors use the stylistic values linked to the pronouns as a resource more widely than translators, which results in more book-internal variation. Conversely, translators orient towards the standard language and consider how human-liken the characters are when choosing pronouns.

What are we telling our students about AI? An exploratory analysis of university instructors’ generative AI syllabi policies

ABSTRACT Within higher education, the popularity of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has led many administrators and faculty to stress the need for policies regarding its use. However, given its relative novelty, it is unclear how instructors create and communicate such policies to students, in terms of both content and style. We present a detailed content analysis of university instructors’ generative AI syllabi policies, examining substantive themes, linguistic style, and learner-centered style elements. Using a mixed-methods approach combining human coding and automated linguistic analysis, we analyzed 92 AI use policies from various disciplines and institutions. Results revealed that most instructors crafted policies that defined AI through example and allowed its use with restrictions. Thematic warnings about AI’s limitations were positively associated with perceptions of a warmer, student-centered tone. Linguistically, while the use of second-person pronouns was most common, only first-person and collective pronouns correlated with a warmer tone. Most policies analyzed also incorporated learner-centered elements like rationales and student responsibilities, though fewer invited students to request feedback on the topic of AI. Overall, policies tended to place the primary responsibility on students for ethical AI use. Results are interpreted with a functional approach toward syllabi construction, before offering practical applications for instructors.

Changing Gendered Language in English Academic Writing? Epicene Pronoun Usage in Learners’ Research Manuscripts and Gender-Inclusive Practices in Journal Guidelines

ABSTRACT The use of gender-inclusive language is crucial for promoting gender equality and inclusivity in scholarly communication. This study examined second language learners’ use of epicene pronouns in social sciences and humanities research manuscripts and surveyed recommended practices in journal guidelines for epicene pronoun usage. The findings revealed that learners predominantly adopted generic he and he or she forms, particularly he/she and he or she, in academic writing. Variations were observed among learners from different first language backgrounds, with some leaning heavily towards generic he and some opting more for he or she forms, while others adopted a more balanced approach. An analysis of journal guidelines indicated a lack of standardised and consistent recommendations for pronoun use. This study underscores the need for clearer and more explicit guidelines to support writers towards adopting equitable pronoun practices, as well as greater emphasis on awareness to address gender biases in academic writing.

Implicit causality can affect pronoun use in fragment completion tasks.

An unresolved debate questions whether speakers tend to use less specific referential expressions, like pronouns, when the referent is predictable within the context. Numerous studies test this question with implicit causality (IC), which elicits a strong expectation for the implicit cause to be mentioned. Using fragment completion tasks, several studies found that speakers do not use more pronouns for the implicit cause (e.g., Fukumura & van Gompel, 2010; Rohde & Kehler, 2014). However, a recent study found an effect of implicit causality on pronoun use, using a verbal story retelling paradigm with a rich context (Weatherford & Arnold, 2021). What accounts for these different findings? Two major methodological differences are that the storytelling task engaged participants in social interaction and used more richly contextualized stimuli than the fragment completion task. The present study further tests whether fragment completion tasks are capable of detecting the effect of implicit causality on pronoun use with elaborated stimuli and when there is social interaction. We found that implicit causality did indeed guide pronoun use, but only in a context that is socially interactive. These findings suggest that predictability increases pronoun use, but observing this effect is more likely in tasks where the producer is engaged in the discourse. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Designing a Better Health System: Patient Perspectives on Gender Inclusive Care.

Our study explored perspectives of transgender and non-binary (TNB) patients regarding gender-inclusive care at our medical center. Thirty participants (13-21 years old) completed semi-structured interviews and demographic surveys. Surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Key themes contributing to positive experiences were: (1) personnel with experience caring for TNB youth, (2) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA) identified health care team members, (3) visible improvements made over time, (4) provider and staff advocacy, and (5) parent advocacy. Areas for improvement were: (1) training on use of pronouns, gender-affirming terminology, and exam techniques, (2) accurate display of name and pronouns in the electronic medical record and patient labels throughout clinical settings, and (3) more LGBTQIA-inclusive décor and resources. While improvements were recognized, participants identified persistent gaps. Multilevel advocacy and standards set by accrediting bodies can be the next steps in ensuring quality care for TNB patients.

Journey from Exclusion to Inclusion: A Literary Analysis of "The Letter to Diognetus", Chapters 1‑10

The second-century Epistle to Diognetus has largely been obscured in Christian history, discovered only in 1436 without any prior written records. The origins, authorship, and intended audience of this work remain uncertain. This article examines the text of Diognetus from a literary perspective, analysing its content, structure, and language to discern its character, intended audience and purpose. The analysis begins with an exploration of some rhetorical questions in the work’s opening paragraph and their thematic development throughout the text. The article further examines how the use of personal pronouns and person-inflected verb forms blurs social boundaries, facilitating identity shifts and literary movement toward conversion. The final discussion compares the literary dynamic of Diognetus to an ancient conversion story, drawing attention to similarities in how these works succeed, through negotiation of identities, with transferring a literary addressee/protagonist from a state of exclusion to one of inclusion into a new community.

Translation Can Distort the Linguistic Parameters of Source Texts Written in Inflected Language: Multidimensional Mathematical Analysis of “The Betrothed”, a Translation in English of “I Promessi Sposi” by A. Manzoni

We compare, mathematically, the text of a famous Italian novel, I promessi sposi, written by Alessandro Manzoni (source text), to its most recent English translation, The Betrothed by Michael F. Moore (target text). The mathematical theory applied does not measure the efficacy and beauty of texts; only their mathematical underlying structure and similarity. The translation theory adopted by the translator is the “domestication” of the source text because English is not as economical in its use of subject pronouns as Italian. A domestication index measures the degree of domestication. The modification of the original mathematical structure produces several consequences on the short–term memory buffers required for the reader and on the theoretical number of patterns used to construct sentences. The geometrical representation of texts and the related probability of error indicate that the two texts are practically uncorrelated. A fine–tuning analysis shows that linguistic channels are very noisy, with very poor signal–to–noise ratios, except the channels related to characters and words. Readability indices are also diverse. In conclusion, a blind comparison of the linguistic parameters of the two texts would unlikely indicate they refer to the same novel.

Analysing the Use of Lexical and Functional Words in EFL Students’ Written Sentences

This research is an attempt to investigate how lexical and functional terms are employed by EFL MA students. In order to accomplish this, a qualitative method was used to identify certain lexical and functional gaps in the students’ formation of sentences. The main source of the research data was essays that were written by EFL MA students. The examination of students’ sentences revealed both functional and lexical errors; the students’ lexical errors included incorrect word choices, the inability to use homophones, the frequent use of unusual forms, and the absence of essential sentence components. With regard to the functional categories, the students’ sentences exhibited the omission of some auxiliary verbs, prepositions, and determiners, as well as the incorrect use of pronouns. Serious problems in the use of lexical and functional words generally decreased the quality of the sentences. To decrease these errors, a significant amount of instruction, supported by a variety of exercises to reinforce understanding of such words, should be provided in classrooms where English as a foreign language (EFL) is taught.

What We Can Learn from Using a Visual Questionnaire to Investigate Dutch and Afrikaans Impersonal Strategies

AbstractThe topic of impersonalization has received a lot of attention in the literature, but the focus has mostly been on a limited number of strategies, such as the use of personal and indefinite pronouns and passive constructions. Impersonal strategies have thus far been examined using: (i) grammars, (ii) corpora, and (iii) language-based questionnaires. These methods suffer from several shortcomings if one wants to study the range of impersonal strategies. The present article aims to argue for a new way of investigating impersonal strategies that complements the other approaches, by reporting on the results of a visual questionnaire. More precisely, it discusses a visual questionnaire completed by speakers of Dutch and Afrikaans to determine whether this method is a satisfactory way of studying impersonal strategies and to also examine and compare the impersonal strategies of the two languages.*

GENDER-BASED EMOTIONAL APPEAL AND LINGUISTIC PATTERNS IN NARRATIVES OF INDIAN LIFESTYLE BRANDS

This study examines linguistic and emotional differences in gendered brand narrative, focusing on how male- and female-focused brands craft their taglines. Using quantitative content analysis, the research analyses 90 brand taglines to assess Emotional Appeal (EA), lexical diversity), use of adjectives, pronouns, and verbs, power words, and metaphors. Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques alongside statistical tests (t-tests, Mann-Whitney U) are used to identify significant differences. Findings reveal that female-focused brands use more emotionally expressive language, adjectives, and pronouns, while male-focused brands emphasize action-oriented communication, power words. Female-oriented branding also incorporates more metaphorical language, and lower lexical diversity. This study contributes to marketing, consumer psychology, and gender representation in advertising by understanding linguistic patterns. KEYWORDS: Gendered branding, Emotional appeal, Linguistic analysis, Lexical diversity

Queer Voices

This study explores queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students’ voices on establishing a sense of belonging in the classroom. This study contributes to a growing body of research on the experience of queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students in higher education institutions. Using long-form interviews with 25 students and alumni of a public research university in North Carolina, we find that the incorporation of small gestures by faculty has an outsized impact on fostering a sense of belonging among queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students. Specifically, small gestures such as the use of preferred pronouns went a long way in making students feel welcomed in the classroom. More broadly, queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students who identified with their gender assigned at birth also used the use of pronouns by professors as a cue. By virtue of professors taking the time to revise their email signatures, revise their syllabi to include language regarding anti-discrimination and scholarship by a diverse set of scholars, and make a welcoming statement aimed at establishing a safe space for queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students, signaled to students that they were an ally.

The Use of Personal Pronouns in Imran Khan’s Political Speeches: A Corpus-Based Study

One of the most powerful ways for leaders to affect public opinion, build political identities, and connect with audiences is through political speeches. In the rhetoric of such discourse, personal pronouns are among the linguistic instruments that have a decisive impact on formulations and correspond to rhetorical purposes. A Corpus-based Analysis of the Usage of Personal Pronouns in the Speeches of Imran Khan, the Ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan. There are three main aims underpinning the research of this study: to find out the most used personal pronouns including I, we, they in the selected corpus of the speeches by Imran Khan, to analyse the lexical clusters of regarding their use, and the analysis of their referents and role in the construction of political narratives. Using quantitative methods, this study explicates how pronouns facilitate collective identity, define opposition, and emphasize individual leadership within the context of another country. The discovery reveals how personal pronouns influence political rhetoric, showing how language gets weaponized in political discourse to manipulate specific audiences and shift their ideologies. This research also informs the fields of political linguistics and discourse analysis, offering a lens to study the intersectionality of language, power and ideology in political leader rhetoric.

The evolution of ASEAN's language policies: A diachronic analysis of official documents and website.

Language policy plays a pivotal role in sustaining language behaviors and transforming language ideologies into practices. While the analysis of language policies in international organizations has received increasing attention, the evolution of language policies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been understudied. Existing research on ASEAN's language policies has concentrated on its official language, often overlooking the language practices and ideologies embedded within these policies. This study seeks to investigate the evolution of ASEAN's language policy by examining its official documents and website. We employed the Wayback Machine to trace the development of the ASEAN official website and adopted a corpus-based approach, utilizing tools such as AntConc and Sketch Engine, to analyze the Chairman's Statements of the ASEAN Summit (CSAS). The study reveals three key insights: 1) The evolution of the ASEAN official website can be categorized into three distinct stages. 2) A consistent use of the collective pronoun "we" in the statements highlights the emphasis on cooperation and progress across economic and political-security domains. 3) The ASEAN community has persistently upheld its values, fostering an ASEAN identity and a genuine ASEAN community throughout its development. This diachronic analysis clarifies the characteristics of ASEAN's language policy, deepening our understanding of the intricate relationship between language practices and ideology, and their implications for regional cooperation and integration.

Who do you think they are? An exploratory analysis of face-based impressions formed by cisgender, transgender and gender nonbinary individuals

Background Individuals make first impressions of others based on how they look. Facial cues trigger gender social categorisation and elicit gender stereotyping. However, it remains unclear to what extent such impressions are influenced by the perceivers’ gender identity and gender beliefs. Methods We recruited cisgender and transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) participants (N = 195). Participants were shown three morphed faces (prototypical male versus. prototypical female versus. androgynous) and, for each target, were asked to create a sentence describing their first impression. To do so, they had to choose from a list of pronouns, professions, and personality traits. Participants also reported how confident they were in their first impression and rated the gender of the targets. Results Results showed that overall participants perceived the prototypical male target as masculine while both the prototypical female and androgynous targets were seen as feminine. Participants also felt more confident when forming an impression about the prototypical male target. Further, impressions were influenced by perceivers’ gender identity. Cisgender participants formed stronger stereotypical impressions of the prototypical male and female target than TGNB participants. In particular, cisgender participants were more likely to use masculine pronouns for the prototypical male target and more feminine pronouns for the prototypical female target, but less neutral pronouns for the androgynous target, than TGNB participants. The difference in pronoun use was mediated by cisgender participants stronger endorsement of gender binary beliefs. Conclusions These findings provide new insights into face-based stereotyping and show the importance of considering different stereotype components and individual differences such as gender identity and beliefs.

Climatic Conditions in Mountains Through the Lens of Indefinite Pronouns: A Linguo-Cultural Approach

This article explores the use of indefinite pronouns in the context of describing climatic conditions in mountainous regions, utilizing a linguo-cultural approach. By comparing English and Kyrgyz languages, the study examines how indefinite pronouns function semantically and pragmatically in narratives and descriptions of mountain climates. The research highlights how these pronouns reflect cultural perceptions and attitudes towards nature and the environment. The findings demonstrate that indefinite pronouns are not merely grammatical tools but are deeply embedded in the cultural narratives that shape the understanding of mountain climates. This study contributes to the broader field of linguistics by revealing the interconnectedness of language, culture, and environmental perception.

Sociopragmatic pronouns in Limburgian: inferring speakers' agency from self-reported automaticity, attitudes, and metalinguistic awareness.

How much of everyday language use takes place on autopilot, how much are speakers aware of, and how do their attitudes relate to this? In particular, how do these factors together account for variation between speakers? Limburgian, a regional language within the Netherlands, is under pressure from Dutch in an intensive language contact situation. The use of a non-feminine subject pronoun for women is a Limburgian feature which is not shared with Dutch. Limburgian speakers show a large range of variation regarding this feature, both when it comes to its use, and how it is perceived. By studying speakers' self-reports of three concepts- automaticity, attitudes, and metalinguistic awareness- as well as how these together relate to self-reported language use (N=405), this paper investigates towhat extent speakers have control over their own language use. Our findings suggest that self-reported automaticity is the driving force in the use of the non-feminine pronoun, but also that this autopilot may be curbed by metalinguistic awareness and attitudes. Importantly, speakers vary considerably on all three concepts, highlighting once more that language users are not a monolith, and that individual speakers may react differently in a language contact situation.

The Interplay Between Our Secret Garden and Our Tribe: Identity Process in Context

Berne made a brief introduction to the idea of the secret garden. Through the story and metaphor of the secret garden, and a detailed case vignette on gender fluidity, the author examines the role of belonging to a community in the way that we form and embody our identity. He demonstrates how the tension between what is normative and visible and what is nonconformative and alienated in our tribe—our familial, social, and political communities—shapes how we identify. The author also explores the close link between what we expose and what we are exposed to and the role of community (tribe) and play in reclaiming what is alienated. Readers should be aware that the use of pronouns in this article, including the introduction of nonbinary pronouns (they/them/theirs) and the alteration between those and feminine and masculine pronouns, reflects the client’s process and the way the therapy evolved.