From: petertrei@gmail.com
On 12/16/2025 3:07 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <10hrir7$2nqai$1@dont-email.me>,
> Gary McGath wrote:
>> On 12/14/25 9:35 AM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
>>> And that last paragraph shows where I stand on third-person
>>> pronouns. I didn't even think twice about typing "they" and
>>> "their". In this, I am a Janeite.
>>>
>>> [I wish I could find the comment someone left on a pronoun article
>>> declaring emphatically that people shouldn't use "they" and
>>> "their" as singular pronouns--and did so themself when using
>>> pronouns to refer back to "someone" or something similar. On the
>>> other hand, this is apparently fairly common.]
>>
>> I sometimes use "they" when referring to an indefinite individual.
>> However, I don't think a person should declare oneself a committee.
>>
>> In the dystopia of Ayn Rand's _Anthem_, plural pronouns are used
>> exclusively, and using a first person singular pronoun is a capital
>> crime. Most people don't know such pronouns ever existed.
>
> [Hal Heydt]
> In Graydon SAuders _Commonweal_ series, "they"/"them" is used for
> persons who are not intimate partners.
Its interesting how this is a recurring topic in this group, and
its a shame that English doesn't have word for a singular person
of indefinite sex.
'They/them' is fine when the phrase makes clear its one person:
"Someone called. They need a lift."
but when the sex is obvious, its kind of awkward:
"Henry called. They need a lift."
I've actually run into situations where the singular them
created confusion, where I was asked to give a lift, but
it was unclear how many seats in the car were involved.
"Not everyone has a ride. Can you give them a lift?
pt
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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