Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!joe From: joe@fluke.UUCP (Joe Kelsey) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: "Their" as a substitute for his/her Message-ID: <2065@vax4.fluke.UUCP> Date: Fri, 11-Jan-85 14:17:31 EST Article-I.D.: vax4.2065 Posted: Fri Jan 11 14:17:31 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 13-Jan-85 06:44:42 EST References: <1315@dciem.UUCP> <643@bunker.UUCP> <1914@sun.uucp> <401@hou2e.UUCP> <1108@teddy.UUCP> Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 17 Did everyone miss the article <788@amdahl.UUCP>, in which gam cites the Oxford English Dictionary as explicitly condoning the use of they, them and their as singular generic pronouns? His article was very well written and I found it quit enlightening. I plan to save it to use whenever anyone challenges my use of they, them, or their as singualr generics. Also, I can't help but point this error out: _________________________________ From: mlf@teddy.UUCP (Matt L. Fichtenbaum) 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"). _________________________________ In this sentence, "arrive" has a plural subject, "they". "Everyone" is the subject of the verb "should sit". /Joe