thon
English
Etymology
Proposed in 1858 by Charles Crozat Converse from that + one.[1]
Compare also dialectal English and Scottish thon (“that; yon”, adjective; pronoun), which is a blend of that + yon.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ðɒn/
Pronoun
thon (third-person singular, gender-neutral, possessive thons, reflexive thonself)
- (nonstandard, rare, see usage notes) they (singular). Gender-neutral third-person singular subject pronoun, coordinate with gendered pronouns he and she.
- 1889 November, Converse, C. Crozat, “That Desired Impersonal Pronoun”, in The Writer, volume 3, number 2, Boston: William H. Hills, page 248:
- Every writer has "thons" verbal likes and dislikes, yet, for the sake of convenience, I trust that even "thon" who dislikes verbal innovations will give my little word a little trial and note for me the result.
- 1907 August, Larisunz, C. W., “Thε Sol:—Hwens?—Hwither?”, in Thε Jurnɑl ɵv ɷrthɵεpi & ɷrthɵgrɑfi, volume 24, number 8, page 153:
- 1985, Zinsser, William Knowlton, On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction, 3rd edition, New York: Harper & Row, →ISBN, LCCN 84048208, LCC PE1429.Z5 1985, page 121:
-
- (nonstandard, rare, see usage notes) them (singular). Gender-neutral third-person singular object pronoun, coordinate with gendered pronouns him and her.
Usage notes
A neologism when Charles Crozat Converse coined it in 1858, thon has seen limited use since then.
Synonyms
See also
- other attested and proposed gender-neutral pronouns
References
- Quidnunc, “Thon—That's the Forewho”, American Speech, Volume 48, Number 3/4 (Autumn–Winter 1973), pages 300-302
French
Etymology
From Latin thunnus, thynnus (itself from Ancient Greek θύννος (thúnnos)), possibly through the intermediate of Old Occitan ton.
Further reading
- “thon” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Middle French
Etymology
First attested 1393 as ton. Borrowed from Latin thunnus, thynnus, possibly via Old Occitan ton although the Middle French is attested earlier than the Old Occitan[1].
Descendants
- French: ton
References
- “thon” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Scots
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ðon], [ðɔn]
Vietnamese
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [tʰɔn˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [tʰɔŋ˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [tʰɔŋ˧˧]
Related terms
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