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From: gary@arizona.UUCP (Gary Marc Levin)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: "Their" as a substitute for his/her
Message-ID: <19800@arizona.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Jan-85 14:01:46 EST
Article-I.D.: arizona.19800
Posted: Tue Jan  8 14:01:46 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 05:19:15 EST
References: <1315@dciem.UUCP> <643@bunker.UUCP> <1914@sun.uucp> <401@hou2e.UUCP> <1108@teddy.UUCP>
Organization: Dept of CS, U of Arizona, Tucson
Lines: 19

> 	"Their" is _plural_!
> and sentences such as "everyone should sign their name" are _wrong_.
>    If you don't believe that, then try using "they" instead of "he" or "she:"
> 	"Everyone should sit down when they arrives."
> since "arrives" has a singular subject (he/she, from "everyone").
> -- 
> 					Matt Fichtenbaum

Historically, ``they'' and ``their'' were used for universal singular
nouns.  See the OED under ``they'' definition 2 [Often used in
reference to a singular noun made universal by ``every'', ``any'',
``no'', etc. or applicable to either sex (= `he or she').]

As for agreement of number, ``you'' takes a plural verb even when it
is used in its singular sense.  [Ex: You are beating a dead horse.]

Gary Levin / Dept of CS / U of AZ / Tucson, AZ 85721 / (602) 621-4231
-- 
Gary Levin / Dept of CS / U of AZ / Tucson, AZ 85721 / (602) 621-4231