3 ms·
> the characterization of language evolving as a shibboleth. When I showed up at my most recent job I used "you guys" once and immediately regretted it. Things
by lolinder 2y ago
> the characterization of language evolving as a shibboleth.
When I showed up at my most recent job I used "you guys" once and immediately regretted it. Things got awkward for a second and then someone in the group constructed a sentence that allowed them to use "folks" and place the emphasis.
I adapted, but if that's not a shibboleth I don't know what is.
- hungie 2y agoWhat was the negative consequence you experienced from that interaction (genuine)? Did you follow up afterwards to understand why someone chose both the language they did?
- DangitBobby 2y agoThey were made to feel awkward in that interaction for no reason, and possibly judged unfairly.
- burnished 2y agoYou gotta be pretty sensitive to consider momentary awkwardness a consequence when someone blamelessly and passively corrects you. How do you reckon that they were judged here at all? This is a level of transgression roughly equivalent to mispronouncing someones name for the first time, I can't imagine anyone else even remembering this incident aside from OP and even they may only remember because the human brain reserves 10% of its space for reliving minor faux pas.
- burnished 2y agoThat isn't a shibboleth because it doesn't mark you as a member of their group. It sounds like a simple preference against gendered language (or maybe the default masculine, idk). Using the word 'head' to refer to the bathroom would be a shibboleth. Side note: I find that preference odd because I come from a context where 'you guys' is neutral, but ultimately view it as a deficiency in the english language.