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The use of the singular "they" dates back to the 1300s.
by RyanMcGreal 16y ago
The use of the singular "they" dates back to the 1300s.
- stan_rogers 16y agoJust a little bit further back than anything that could be called a "standard English", then. The languages in England at the time were not mutually intelligible, nor were they codified in any way -- "axe" (or "aks") and "ask" were regionalisms, and one would hardly say today that "axe" would be acceptable except when recording dialog. And just try going to the store and asking for a dozen eyren and see how far that gets you
- RyanMcGreal 16y agoCome on. It's been in continuous use ever since then. Jane Austin used it, for heaven's sake.