Reform Proposals
Ido, ri and -iĉ- are proposals outside the standard.
How It Works
| Proposal | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ido | a planned language made in 1907 as a reformed Esperanto | a separate language |
| ri | a pronoun for a person of any gender | proposal; the only one of its kind that people actually use |
| -iĉ- | an ending that marks a male: kuracistiĉo | proposal; the most popular of its kind |
| ĝi for people | a neutral word for any person, not only a small child | a use that some people try; for a small child ĝi is already normal |
Some people want Esperanto to change, for example to write about a person without choosing li or ŝi. PMEG describes ri and -iĉ- as proposals outside the official and normal Esperanto.
If you meet ri in a text, you can read it as a person of any gender. In your own writing, use li aŭ ŝi or tiu. The name Ido is written with a capital and takes no la, like Esperanto.
Examples (4)
- Kelkaj verkistoj uzas la pronomon ri por iu, kies sekson ili ne diras.
Some writers use the pronoun ri for someone whose sex they do not state.
Ri is a proposal, not part of the standard.
- Laŭ la propono, kuracistiĉo signifus vira kuracisto.
According to the proposal, kuracistiĉo would mean a male doctor.
The ending -iĉ- is a proposed male marker.
- Ido naskiĝis en 1907 kiel aparta lingvo.
Ido was born in 1907 as a separate language.
Ido has a capital letter and no la, like Esperanto.
- Ewa legis artikolon pri ri, sed en sia letero ŝi skribas li aŭ ŝi.
Ewa read an article about ri, but in her letter she writes li aŭ ŝi.
A standard text keeps li aŭ ŝi.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Reform proposals suggest changes to Esperanto. Some concern gender wording, while Ido became a separate language.
- -in--in-: Female
Know -in-, since the reforms are about the female ending.
Level 2 - Writing About a Person of Unknown Gender
Know writing without saying he or she, because the proposals are other ways.
Level 5 - The Fundamento and the Academy
Know the Fundamento and the Academy, because the reforms are judged against the standard they set.
Level 6
Related Patterns
Practice Reform Proposals in Bubblegum
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