Singular and plural mixed up?

Question

I've just read this on a Web site and realized I'd seen the same kind of thing many times before.

the user runs the risk of losing all of their emails.

How come "the user" (singular) goes with "their" (plural)?

MrPedantic · Accepted Answer

Hello Paultx

Unfortunately there is no word that means "his or her" in English. These are the alternatives:

1. The user runs the risk of losing all of their emails.

2. The user runs the risk of losing all of his or her emails.

3. The user runs the risk of losing all of his emails.

#1 offends purists. #2 offends stylists. #3 offends feminists.

There's also this:

4. Users run the risk of losing all of their emails.

which offends no one, but may not accord with the rest of your text.

In everyday conversation, most people would opt for #1; but if you need to be careful about your grammar (e.g. in a job application or exam), you may want to consider #4.

MrP

BarbaraPA · Answer

To avoid saying "his or her."

I would simply rewrite it to say Users run the risk of losing all of their e-mails, but they didn't ask me.

There is sure to be heated debate over those who care about such things as to whether you can use "they" or "their" when there is singular but unkown antecedent who may be of either ***. I'm in the camp that says "don't use 'they' - rewrite it!" but there are others who think this is an old-fashioned idea whose time has come.

Goodman · Answer

Grammar GeekTo avoid saying "his or her."

I would simply rewrite it to say Users run the risk of losing all of their e-mails, but they didn't ask me.

There is sure to be heated debate over those who care about such things as to whether you can use "they" or "their" when there is singular but unkown antecedent who may be of either ***. I'm in the camp that says "don't use 'they' - rewrite it!" but there are others who think this is an old-fashioned idea whose time has come.

The political garbage about the suggestion of *** is a crock of you know what. I think the question was legitimate. Compromising to accept incorrect English because of time being different may sound logical to some but to this stubborn one, it’s just not acceptable.

If the subject is singular, stick with singular pronoun or likewise with plural subjects.

For the sentence in question, I personally would write it as follows:

1) Users may run the risk of losing all of their e-mails.

2) User runs the risk of losing all of his/ her e-mails

BarbaraPA · Answer

Goodman
I think the question was legitimate.

If there was anything in my response that led you to think I thought it was a dumb question, I apologize! That certainly wasn't my intention. I noticed after I hit post that Mr. P and were resonding at the same time, but our information was consistent with each other.

CalifJim · Answer

Did you mean an old-fashioned idea whose time has gone?

http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/austheir.html

CJ

Goodman · Answer

Grammar Geek
Goodman
I think the question was legitimate.

If there was anything in my response that led you to think I thought it was a dumb question, I apologize! That certainly wasn't my intention. I noticed after I hit post that Mr. P and were resonding at the same time, but our information was consistent with each other.

GG,

No, you didn't mislead me. Actually I was just breathing a little hot air about the notion that people are beginning to accept incorrect English because more and more people are using it. I am the type that seem to have a little hard time accpeting compromises. I appreacite though your jesture.

Nona the brit · Answer

I find his/her or he/she very clumsy. Their/they is now accepted as a gender neutral singular in this sorts of contexts. Language has to change and develop.

BarbaraPA · Answer

I know, Nona. And the day is coming. But I still favor the approach of rewriting if at all possible to avoid either a singular they or the "he/she," which I also don't like. But the flexibilty and adaptability of English is one of the things I like about it, even if I do have my pets that I don't like to abandon.

Gender neutrality has had some interesting approaches at times, like the suggestion of using "waitron" to avoid either waitress or waiter. Glad THAT one died a quick death. Apparently "server" didn't appeal.

Goodman · Answer

Hi ladies,

There are times I agree, that a singular subject in the preceding context may be followed by a statement with plural possibility

For instance: (A asked over the phone) Has everyone arrived at the party yet ? (B replied) No, they are all running late. But I still prefer to say “everybody is running late”. We can get sloppy with grammar on daily conversations and no one really would stops to correct our mistakes. I think if one care about using the correct grammar; especially when one is a student leaning this language, I believe he should learn the correct form. It’s true that new phrases are coined, new words are invented everyday and the language is slowly changing. But I think the fundamentals of English should remain true.

Anonymous · Answer

Goodman
Hi ladies,

There are times I agree, that a singular subject in the preceding context may be followed by a statement with plural possibility

For instance: (A asked over the phone) Has everyone arrived at the party yet ? (B replied) No, they are all running late. But I still prefer to say “everybody is running late”.

Your example is perfect, as it implies that more than one person is (or are?)* expected to arrive at the party. That is, everyone means two people or more. Thus, for me it sounds OK to use "they". But it's a different context from the one discussed before in the post, I think.

* See how it gets a bit difficult? Which is right: "More than one person is expected to arrive" or "More than one person are expected to arrive"?

Singular and plural mixed up?

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