Pronouns: we/us/our

Today every bien pensant email signature displays the politics of third-person pronoun, but arguably those first-person plural run deeper. The need to decide who ‘we’ are arises at point formation any effectual group, and this makes it a precondition political speech as such. You won't get far without an ‘us’. Of course, is large question for sociology philosophy, not reducible merely lexical terms. All same, pronoun has its own semantic peculiarities: surface by no means smooth, marked fissures which support abundant rhetorical growth. In that sense ‘we’, together with objective possessive cases, keyword despite nondescript appearance. plainest distinguishing marks variable scale reference. two most recent quotations in OED's primary entry from Iris Murdoch novel (‘Look, let's really talk each other, shall we?’) essay on animal rights (‘the possible future scenario we encounter extraterrestrial beings more intelligent, sensitive, cultured than we’). first these, apparently denotes speaker one other person, second embraces entire human race. Thus whereas scope ‘he’ ‘she’ normally restricted nearby antecedents, ‘I’ ‘you’ context utterance, looser rein. This open-endedness resource. Consider example protests followed murder Sarah Everard London March 2021. One placards read ‘Stop Killing Us’. Who meant ‘us’? individuals displaying these words course themselves being killed; rather, they declaring identify – form ‘us’ have died. Several grounds identification conceivable: might be Londoners, example, or victims police violence. But shared identity intended readily inferred non-verbal context: since placard carried largely female demonstration, clear ‘women’. way slogan few hundred women physically present into metonymic signifier general. unlimited numerical operates sort leverage: if all were here, protesting. following month, Verso published Ian Sanjay Patel's study colonialism immigration, memorably entitled We're Here Because Were There. aphorism, was coined writer activist A. Sivanandam, similarly exploits pronouns' flexibility. ‘We’ ethnic minorities, ‘here’ United Kingdom: Sivanandam's migration Britain people like himself (he came Ceylon 1950s) consequence earlier, much aggressive places say, British Empire. To complex history six notable feat compression, what capacity pronouns extend their reach over historical time. When epigram deployed 2021, necessarily includes many South Asian Afro-Caribbean origin whose does explanation because lived here lives, White personally unconnected Empire disintegrated before born. It sense, then, only basis collective identities involved retain unity across generations. case, our parents great-grandparents well ourselves, glue holds transhistorical totality colour. These deployments work roughly same both broaden proclaim community exists beyond limits place time therefore imagined rather directly experienced. although analogous, incompatible. Us’ sets against men, regardless colour; There colour people, gender. Each effect disaggregating other. service distinct project: depends trying achieve. words, saying performative character: name entity just extra-linguistically there world; act forming such entity, forging necessary links exclusions. group-making function appears naked another pronoun's gratuitous use possessive. An would expression ‘our NHS’. became popular early Covid-19 pandemic, now (in December 2021) government opposition speakers routinely. ‘our’ referentially nugatory ‘the NHS’ denote exactly object. Rather, emotive, verbal caress reassure audience understands shares love national treasure. audibly move when Donald Trump tells his supporters 2020 presidential election corrupt country’. ‘Of country’ natural expression; amplified note vague spirituality enters Trump's voice moments, show he sore loser grieving patriot. pleonasm gives plaintive insistence, drawing listeners readers circle belonging. However, raises sharper positioned outside circle. ‘Us’ implies ‘them’, inescapably;1 often, again necessarily, relation between them us antagonistic. Within field implication, uncertain reference tactical instrument. speaks supporters' rally about country', phrase distinguishable levels. level simple piety: USA country Americans. level, ‘our' feeds off subject generated itself. stagey rhetoric, crowd's responses, flags hats atmosphere solidarity combine produce dramatically ‘us' affectively potent first, relatively abstract one. At MAGA believers, general American ‘everybody' but, precisely, opposed enemy, Democrats, perpetrators steal. key mechanism ambiguity. As leans divisive meaning ‘our', discourse abandon unifying meaning. ‘We' weak still present. So combined levels claim constitute nation whole, adversaries Americans all. Obviously proposition could plausibly advanced so words. message conveyed subliminally pronoun. A similar equivocation performed front page Daily Express 9 June middle common room (MCR) Magdalen College, Oxford, had some decades photograph Queen wall, current students decided take down. headline ‘HOW DARE THEY! OXFORD STUDENTS CANCEL OUR QUEEN'. possessive, somewhat motivated echo National Anthem. And ‘they' refers presumably limited number took decision. 72-point, proximity overrides syntax. She Our she reigns also belongs us-and-not-them. actual composition opposing groups vaguer violently partisan rally, outlines legible enough. characterised citizenship, respect affection country. ‘They', accordingly, fail exhibit values leftists, students, perhaps (given cosmopolitan membership Oxbridge MCRs) foreigners. context, ambiguous performs ideological purification: invoked entirety breath claimed select group within it. unusually explicit media chorus passing, February ‘Captain Tom', centenarian war veteran become famous earlier pandemic doing sponsored walks round garden raise money Health Service (NHS). tributes him included reflection (or showed) best us'. evidently felt happy phrase,2 recognising, tearfully elevated register, simply someone better rest us, embodied best, purged conflict, alienation diversity. Captain Tom, World War II medals indomitable duty, adopted sacred object; through communion him, experienced members body essentially unchanged VE Day. exclusions entailed ostentatious belonging registered young curate, Black gay, said thought canonisation Tom cult nationalism. documents speeches made racial specification: curate reacting implied boundaries of. immediately denounced three different high-profile Mail columnists, least suggests touching nerve.3 Trump, relative indeterminacy may be, demarcated racially. ‘we', precisely innocence attachments invites, handy dog-whistle. formal structure ambiguity inclusive restrictive? acquires particular focus used corporate bodies businesses local authorities. kind says, instance, ‘We aim respond enquiries 48 hours', differentiating itself customers addressing, unambiguously restrictive one, though case ‘you' institutional seems contexts goes saying, automatism then opens up further possibilities. almost comically view public information 2021 census. card delivered household bore strapline ‘it's rare literally signifying population census account single person. inclusiveness slipped once, explanatory text began, ‘We'll your help census…'. longer everybody shadowy administrative team; virtual massed householders consequently ‘you'. practical implications division spelt out paragraph, ‘You must complete law.' Now team revealed authority coercive powers, initial gesture us' sounds retrospect geniality bailiff door. until resistance; you find are. slippage enables make extraordinary claims. straightforward comment Home Secretary, Priti Patel, legal decision Shamima Begum, deprived her citizenship after went Syria join Islamic State: ‘The will always strongest action protect security priority remains maintaining safety citizens.'4 ‘Our' occurs times statement. On occasion, priority' government's priority, quite whether instances refer broadly were. vagueness, especially Begum effect, ‘ours' widely regarded unfair. suggestion, below statement, denoted amount thing. cabinet colleague Oliver Dowden put it, spelling sophisticated politician left implicit, People's Government.' part heritage great stately homes, galleries, museums, theatres, cathedrals, do whatever takes step I’m very glad working fans, given strength fans stopping …. resonance Culture Secretary wrote country's leading galleries museums expected approach issues contested ‘consistent Government’s position'.6 attempt dictate policy arm's length institutions ambiguities alarming cutting edge. ministers speak cathedrals', mean, little, think fine things belong them?