The Impact of ’We’--New Research Group Looks at the Use of Pronouns

Photo: pixabay/Altmann In the new German Research Foundation research group on p
Photo: pixabay/Altmann In the new German Research Foundation research group on pronouns, early career researchers are playing an especially important role.
Photo: pixabay/Altmann In the new German Research Foundation research group on pronouns, early career researchers are playing an especially important role. We, you, it: everyday, each one of us uses pronouns, but how do we use them when? Now a team of researchers wants to find out and is receiving funding from the German Research Foundation to do so. The group Praktiken der Personenreferenz: Personal-, Indefinitund Demonstrativpronomen im Gebrauch will receive roughly €2 million over a period of 4 years. Pronouns stand for people, things, situations, or facts. But pronouns do not only refer to something; they also say something about relationships, for example, to an individual. For example, the distinction in German between the formal and informal -you- (Sie and Du), including now archaic forms, say a lot about social relationships. And the personal pronoun -we- can, depending on context, be inclusive OR condescending and exclusionary.
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