Post: #1

This will be sure to trigger a lot of the writers out there:

http://www.cjr.org/language_corner/style...eutral.php

Quote:Two major style manuals are now allowing the singular use of “they” in certain circumstances. While this is a victory for common sense, the paths taken are unusual in the evolution of usage.

Both manuals, the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style, emphasize that “they” cannot be used with abandon. Even so, it’s the middle of the end for the insistence that “they” can be only a plural pronoun.

To recap: In English, there is no gender-neutral pronoun for a single person. In French, for example, the pronoun on can stand in for “he” or “she.” English has no such equivalent; “it” is our singular pronoun, so devoid of gender that calling a person “it” is often considered insulting. We could use “one,” but that is a very impersonal pronoun.

The need for a singular personal pronoun occurs largely in two situations. The most common is when speaking generically: “Every time someone gets too close to that cliff, _____ dies.” Because you don’t know whether the next person will be male or female, you can’t insert the correct pronoun. In spoken language, we commonly resort to “they” in that situation (changing the verb to “die” in the process). Similarly, when using a singular noun that refers to a group of people, we have no inclusive pronoun: “Everyone needs to be sure to tighten ______ safety belt before approaching the cliff.”

For hundreds of years, anyone writing formally would default to “he.” Advances in women’s rights led to the clumsy “he or she.” Many writers alternate “he” or “she.” This twisting and turning is because what’s known as “the epicene they” has been considered incorrect.

Yes, you read this correctly. Because of women's rights we are going to change our language around.

Quote:Yet nearly everyone uses it in speech, as in “everyone knows they should use singular pronouns with singular nouns.” It’s been so used for hundreds of years.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't know anyone who uses "they" in speech incorrectly like that. Surprisingly, I spend a great deal of time around people who are too well versed in English grammatical rules to the point where my mistakes get called out more than i'm happy to admit!

The people I know will either use "he", assume gender if it's a gender specific activity (birthing, nursing, etc), or specifically call out both genders.

Post: #2

(03-27-2017 06:01 PM)The Beast1 Wrote:  I don't know about you guys, but I don't know anyone who uses "they" in speech incorrectly like that. Surprisingly, I spend a great deal of time around people who are too well versed in English grammatical rules to the point where my mistakes get called out more than i'm happy to admit!

The people I know will either use "he", assume gender if it's a gender specific activity (birthing, nursing, etc), or specifically call out both genders.

Really? I hear the singular "they" used constantly in informal speech, and in formal presentations, I've noticed the speaker often virtue signals by using "she."

The fact that this is considered a women's rights issue should alone be proof that the women's rights movement is not necessary.

Post: #3

My language students were not informed about using They, Their, Them in their previous studies, I have been using it in my exercises and had them ask why - much to my surprise. In my observation it's extremely common and basic.

Eg: (in writing) What about your partner, are they helping around the house?

Not that I'm trying to encourage flexible genders, it's a foreign concept here (as it should be). But in my education I was taught that using he, she etc was too personal and that using the above was extremely professional - not assuming that the recipient is a man/woman and one that is having a heterosexual relationship is merely a bonus.

When I write reports for my students, in order to be professional I will say "They excel at listening", just to add to my point.

The idea that it goes against English convention is a new one for me, and I dislike it. Singular gender neutrality is extremely professional in my opinion.

Post: #4

For those who object to gender pronouns there is already the pronoun "It"

Post: #5

This isn't degenerate rights, it's just common sense and a grammar guideline accepted for more than a century.

The marketing person at Starbucks is an idiot. We should contact them and let them know what we think about this.
That writer from Breitbart seems interesting. They should get in touch.
If the customer support manager had managed to help me, they wouldn't have been fired.

You can still use he or she whe the gender is unknown but likely, no need for they:

That user from Roosh Forum seems interesting. He should get in touch.
The nurse did a good job. She should be promoted.

In fact it's SJW fanatics who virtue signal by writing unknown genders as "she", as in:

A police officer must exercise caution at all times. She must be attentive and in good physical health.

Post: #6

I hear 'they' used as the third person singular all the time in daily speech when the gender of the person is unknown or irrelevant. In academic texts (which I'm sadly obliged to read for university) I often read 'she' used in this sense, as though the author thinks that he is taking a stand against the patriarchy by doing so, and it never ceases to irritate me. Language isn't static, it's not necessarily a bad thing to see formal usage adopt a colloquialism (it's happened a lot in the past, that's part of how our language developed), and it's certainly better than reading or hearing a smug mangina use 'she' so inappropriately.