5 ms·

Because writing in English requires either gender specific singular pronouns or the awkward sounding use of a gender neutral _plural_ pronoun referring to a sin

Because writing in English requires either gender specific singular pronouns or the awkward sounding use of a gender neutral _plural_ pronoun referring to a singular person.

bshepard 8y ago
Languages change over time, and the gender neutral "they" is becoming widely used to refer to specific people.
fjsolwmv 8y ago
"they" is both singular and plural.
- Stratoscope 8y ago
  You are correct. See my other comment in this thread for some supporting evidence.
greglindahl 8y ago
Shakespeare used "they" to refer to singular people.
- jhasse 8y ago
  Shakespeare's language is very awkward today.
  - greglindahl 8y ago
    Some of it is, but not this part.
Stratoscope 8y ago
There is no rule in English that says a pronoun cannot be both singular and plural. Here's a simple example: "Which of you thinks you are the smartest?" I used "you" as both singular and plural in that sentence, and no one would blink an eye at it. "They" is used the same way as "you", as either a singular or plural pronoun depending on the context. This was the case in English for centuries, until some prescriptivist grammarians decided they didn't like it, each for their own reasons. BTW, do you really think that last sentence would be improved by saying "each for his or her own reasons"? The modern resurgence of singular "they" is just returning English to what was common and correct usage before the prescriptivists hijacked the language. https://www.google.com/search?q=singular+they+history https://www.google.com/search?q=singular+they+history https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-singular-they/ https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/everything-yo...
- jhasse 8y ago
  > "Which of you thinks you are the smartest?" I would think that this is a mistake and you'd need to say: "Which of you thinks he or she is the smartest?" I'm not a native speaker though.

Because writing in English requires either gender specific singular pronouns or the awkward sounding use of a gender neutral _plural_ pronoun referring to a singular person.

bshepard 8y ago

Languages change over time, and the gender neutral "they" is becoming widely used to refer to specific people.

fjsolwmv 8y ago

"they" is both singular and plural.

Stratoscope 8y ago
You are correct. See my other comment in this thread for some supporting evidence.

greglindahl 8y ago

Shakespeare used "they" to refer to singular people.

jhasse 8y ago
Shakespeare's language is very awkward today.
- greglindahl 8y ago
  Some of it is, but not this part.

Stratoscope 8y ago

There is no rule in English that says a pronoun cannot be both singular and plural. Here's a simple example: "Which of you thinks you are the smartest?" I used "you" as both singular and plural in that sentence, and no one would blink an eye at it. "They" is used the same way as "you", as either a singular or plural pronoun depending on the context. This was the case in English for centuries, until some prescriptivist grammarians decided they didn't like it, each for their own reasons. BTW, do you really think that last sentence would be improved by saying "each for his or her own reasons"? The modern resurgence of singular "they" is just returning English to what was common and correct usage before the prescriptivists hijacked the language. https://www.google.com/search?q=singular+they+history https://www.google.com/search?q=singular+they+history https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-singular-they/ https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com/2015/04/21/everything-yo...

jhasse 8y ago
> "Which of you thinks you are the smartest?" I would think that this is a mistake and you'd need to say: "Which of you thinks he or she is the smartest?" I'm not a native speaker though.