0
Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Singular they
Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have THEIR number registered." are grammatically absurd. How can we begin a sentence with a singular subject and verb and end up with plurals?
I think we should make up a new pronoun and possessive adjective that would resolve that issue. Why don't we simply pick up the neutral IT?
"Everybody is required to show its ID when it crosses the gate." "Anyone who calls will have its number registered."
No more he/she, his/her, no more singular they. A singular leads to a singular.
I think we should make up a new pronoun and possessive adjective that would resolve that issue. Why don't we simply pick up the neutral IT?
"Everybody is required to show its ID when it crosses the gate." "Anyone who calls will have its number registered."
No more he/she, his/her, no more singular they. A singular leads to a singular.
Top answer
" or "Anyone who calls will have ... " No more he/she, his/her, no more singular they. [/nq] This is the single most common "point" raised in aue and aeu.
- " or "Anyone who calls will have ...
- " No more he/she, his/her, no more singular they.
- [/nq] This is the single most common "point" raised in aue and aeu.
- com/vw33 David ==
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
56 Answers
0
[nq:1]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have ... calls will have its number registered." No more he/she, his/her, no more singular they. A singular leads to a singular.[/nq]
This is the single most common "point" raised in aue and aeu. I will say no more than:
This is the single most common "point" raised in aue and aeu. I will say no more than:
00
[nq:1]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have THEIR number registered." are grammatically absurd. How can we begin a sentence with a singular subject and verb and end up with plurals?[/nq]
They are no more absurd than the use of "you" for both the singular and the plural. It has been an integral part of the English langua
They are no more absurd than the use of "you" for both the singular and the plural. It has been an integral part of the English langua
00
On 11/20/03 1:36 PM, in article
[nq:1]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have ... "Everybody is required to show its ID when it crosses the gate." "Anyone who calls will have its number registered."[/nq]
That would be every bit as "absurd" as using singular "they". How can we begin a sentence with an animate subject a
[nq:1]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have ... "Everybody is required to show its ID when it crosses the gate." "Anyone who calls will have its number registered."[/nq]
That would be every bit as "absurd" as using singular "they". How can we begin a sentence with an animate subject a
00
[nq:2]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when ... the gate." "Anyone who calls will have its number registered."[/nq]
This would be a great help to all those not clever enough to reword appropriately, e.g.
Identity documents must be shown.
The number of each caller will be registered.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
This would be a great help to all those not clever enough to reword appropriately, e.g.
Identity documents must be shown.
The number of each caller will be registered.
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
00
[nq:1]I think we should make up a new pronoun and possessive adjective that would resolve that issue. . . .[/nq]
I think we should avoid trolls.
Cordially,
Eric Walker
My opinions on English are available at
http://owlcroft.com/english/
I think we should avoid trolls.
Cordially,
Eric Walker
My opinions on English are available at
http://owlcroft.com/english/
00
That's the ignorant neopossessive "its". The proper third person inanimate genitive is "his".
[nq:1]This would be a great help to all those not clever enough to reword appropriately, e.g. Identity documents must be shown. The number of each caller will be registered.[/nq]
Those are passive, which is just as bad as singular they.
Anyone who calls is required to show that his or her
[nq:1]This would be a great help to all those not clever enough to reword appropriately, e.g. Identity documents must be shown. The number of each caller will be registered.[/nq]
Those are passive, which is just as bad as singular they.
Anyone who calls is required to show that his or her
00
[nq:1]Those are passive, which is just as bad as singular they.[/nq]
The thing about the whole mess that baffles me most is that despite just about everybody's recognizing a serious defect in the language that one eentsy-weentsy little term, almost certainly one syllable, would resolve happily, no one has ever been able to conjure any such term that could gain the least shred of popular suppor
The thing about the whole mess that baffles me most is that despite just about everybody's recognizing a serious defect in the language that one eentsy-weentsy little term, almost certainly one syllable, would resolve happily, no one has ever been able to conjure any such term that could gain the least shred of popular suppor
00
[nq:1]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when THEY cross the gate." or "Anyone who calls will have THEIR number registered." are grammatically absurd. How can we begin a sentence with a singular subject and verb and end up with plurals?[/nq]
Troll?
Marc Lombart 20/11/2003 21:01:30 http://www.marcmy
Troll?
Marc Lombart 20/11/2003 21:01:30 http://www.marcmy
00
[nq:2]Sentences like "Everybody is required to show THEIR ID when ... a singular subject and verb and end up with plurals?[/nq]
[nq:1]Troll?[/nq]
De facto, if not in intent. All "singular they" does is roil the waters of the usage groups. As Eric Walker has observed, you'd think that by now the language would have come up with a solution better than "they." But it hasn't. After that, it's
[nq:1]Troll?[/nq]
De facto, if not in intent. All "singular they" does is roil the waters of the usage groups. As Eric Walker has observed, you'd think that by now the language would have come up with a solution better than "they." But it hasn't. After that, it's
00
On 11/20/03 5:42 PM, in article
[nq:2]Those are passive, which is just as bad as singular they.[/nq]
[nq:1]The thing about the whole mess that baffles me most is that despite just about everybody's recognizing a serious defect ... than any yet suggested for a neutral personal singular pronoun have been happily adopted to meet needs far less obvious.[/nq]I think the answer is really quite s
[nq:2]Those are passive, which is just as bad as singular they.[/nq]
[nq:1]The thing about the whole mess that baffles me most is that despite just about everybody's recognizing a serious defect ... than any yet suggested for a neutral personal singular pronoun have been happily adopted to meet needs far less obvious.[/nq]I think the answer is really quite s
0
Related Questions