iels

French

Etymology

Blend of ils +‎ elles.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɛl/, /i.ɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

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Pronoun

iels gender-neutral pl (third-person plural, singular iel, accusative les, dative leur, emphatic elleux, possessive determiner leur)

1. (neologism) They. A gender-neutral personal pronoun (third-person plural subject).
   • 2014, Carina Rozenfeld, La Symphonie des abysses, Robert Laffont, book 1:

     […] ; les jours où iels n’avaient pas l’occasion de parler un peu, juste tous les deux, iel se sentait vide.

     the days when they [plural] didn't have the chance to talk a little, just the two of them, they [singular] felt empty.

   • 2017 April 15, Tanguy Porret, “ABSTENTIONNISME - [Épisode 3] LE VOTE BLANC ?”, in Le Mégaphone‎^[1], INSA Rennes, retrieved 13 June 2019:

     Arthaud, Poutou, Cheminade, Dupont-Aignan, Lassalle ? Aucune chance, iels sont considéré·e·s comme des “petits candidats”.

     [Nathalie] Arthaud, [Philippe] Poutou, [Jacques] Cheminade, [Nicolas] Dupont-Aignan, [Jean] Lassalle? No way; they are seen as "minor candidates".

Related terms

• iel sg