They Themself

[nq:1]I have started to accept the singular "they" but the singular "themself" takes a bit of swallowing. "The student must complete all questions themself." I'm reliably informed that it was used centuries ago and is now making a re-appearance.[/nq]
I've never come across it and as an English teacher I would regard it as an error in modern English.
regards, Einde O'Callaghan

[nq:1]I have started to accept the singular "they" but the singular "themself" takes a bit of swallowing. "The student must complete all questions themself." I'm reliably informed that it was used centuries ago and is now making a re-appearance. Any thoughts?[/nq]
It's presumably an attempt to be "gender neutral", but it seems very odd to me.

John Hall "He crams with cans of poisoned

[nq:1]It's presumably an attempt to be "gender neutral", but it seems very odd to me.[/nq]
Yes, that is its purpose. I learned of it from an Australian linguist who said she sees it these days in students' work. What's needed, it seems, is a "gender neutral" to fit all these situations, generic 'he' now being unacceptable.

[nq:1]generic 'he' now being unacceptable.[/nq]
Not to everyone.
But on the original point, I have heard "themselves" used as a gender- neutral singular, and have most likely even used it that way myself.

Cheers
Tony

Tony Mountifield
Work: (Email Removed) - http://www.softins.co.uk Play: (Email

[nq:2]It's presumably an attempt to be "gender neutral", but it seems very oddto me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, that is its purpose. I learned of it from an Australian linguist who said she sees it these days in students' work. What's needed, it seems, isa "gender neutral" to fit all these situations, generic 'he' now beingunacceptable.[/nq]
Unacceptable to whom?
We fought the gender noun/pronoun

At 22:01:09 on Fri, 12 Nov 2004, John Mazor (Email Removed) wrote in :
[nq:1]A female chairman can prefer to be called chairperson or even chairwoman, while many flout that neo-convention and are comfortable with chairman.[/nq]
But "chair" gets around any problems quite easily.

And I have noticed that the type of man who says "I don't want to be referred to as a chair - I'm not a

[nq:2]It's presumably an attempt to be "gender neutral", but it seems very odd to me.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, that is its purpose. I learned of it from an Australian linguist who said she sees it these days in students' work. What's needed, it seems, is a "gender neutral" to fit all these situations, generic 'he' now being unacceptable.[/nq]
Just needs a disclaimer to the effect that "Throughout t

[nq:2]A female chairman can prefer to be called chairperson or even chairwoman, while many flout that neo-convention andare comfortable with chairman.[/nq]
[nq:1]But "chair" gets around any problems quite easily.[/nq]
That gets by in informal conversation, but in my experience, it usually won't do for letterheads and official titles.
[nq:1]And I have noticed that the type of man who sa

[nq:2]Yes, that is its purpose. I learned of it from ... it these days in students' work. What's needed, it seems,is[/nq]
[nq:1]a[/nq]
[nq:2]"gender neutral" to fit all these situations, generic 'he' now being[/nq]
[nq:1]unacceptable. Unacceptable to whom?[/nq]
It seems that the rule of generic 'he' was a favourite of some early grammarians because of notions such as "let us set th

[nq:1]And I have noticed that the type of man who says "I don't want to be referred to as a chair - I'm not a piece of wood" is generally perfectly content to form part of a board.[/nq]
Particularly if he is given a platform as well...
Kiwi Gill