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> Singular they is just as much proper English as generic he. In the right contexts, sure — but singular they is not a drop-in replacement for generic he, and
by wtbob 10y ago
> Singular they is just as much proper English as generic he.
In the right contexts, sure — but singular they is not a drop-in replacement for generic he, and using them identically is incorrect.
- pron 10y agoFirst of all, Cantrill does not say anywhere that they should be used identically. Second, I'm not sure they cannot be used in a similar way. For example, Wikipedia cites this sentence, "If a person is born of a ... gloomy temper ... they cannot help it," from 1759.