Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site arizona.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!arizona!gary 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