LogFAQs > #966388729

Gaawa_chan posted...

Pronouns are, for all intents and purposes, generic nicknames that exist for the convenience of whoever is speaking, so that you don't have to constantly say someone's name. If you're deliberately, repeatedly using a nickname for someone who has expressly told you not to do that and that they don't like it, you're not some sort of arbiter of truth; you're an asshole harassing someone.

Let's consider that point. Pronouns are for the benefit of the speaker, and I suppose to some extent the audience, but not the subject being referenced. If the speaker keeps calling someone twinkle toes, but the person they are speaking to doesn't know whom they mean, that's not going to be convenient for the speaker. The person being referred to as twinkle toes is not a party to this exchange.

On the other hand, if the person referred to says they don't like the nickname someone has for them and they prefer to be called twinkle toes that also raises issues. No one else thinks of that person as twinkle toes and will think the speaker is an oddball for calling then that.

Usually a nickname is something you call someone when addressing that person. The issue of pronouns comes up when describing someone whom the speaker is not addressing.