Presenter(s): Danni Black—Linguistics
Co-Presenter(s): Mel Birke, Lydia Murtha, Sam Montagne
Faculty Mentor(s): Melissa Baese-Berk
Session 1: Speech and Sound—Can you Hear Me?
A society does not just have one characteristic, it has many . Not only that, but those traits often influence and alter one another . While this is known and observable for traditional relations, such as gender and race, it is not as established for concepts that are later introduced into a society rather than initially integrated . Such is the case for the pronouns of they/them in American society . In order to determine how one’s previous societal roles and beliefs affect their perception and acceptance/ rejection of the pronouns of “they/them” and alternative gender identities in general in a linguistic state . To do this, we plan to submit a digital survey to students and staff of as many kinds as we can gain access to at the University of Oregon . In this survey we will include cultural identifiers such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, affiliation with the LGBTQ+ community, and more . Then we will observe that data to determine if there is a statistical significance among our subjects between one of those traits and their perception of “they/them” pronouns . Additionally, there is an option on the survey where subjects can express their desire to participate in an interview to elaborate on their views and the development of those views . This interview will be conducted remotely and respectfully, and will provide us with a more in-depth explanation and conclusion of the research being conducted .