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"They" has always (in our lifetimes) been used to refer to a singular person of unknown gender. For example "someone left their coat here. They must be cold"
by etskinner 6mo ago
"They" has always (in our lifetimes) been used to refer to a singular person of unknown gender. For example "someone left their coat here. They must be cold"
- the_biot 6mo agoIndeed. What's new is not referring to someone of unknown gender as "they", but rather people identifying as non-gender-specific, and wanting to be referred to as "they". That's the part that feels so awkward, IMHO, not simply they as one person.
- nagaiaida 6mo agotell that to the public universal friend
- SoftTalker 6mo agoNo that's incorrect. Use his/he or her/she if the coat appears to be one that would be worn by a male or female. If uncertain, use male pronouns, which are gender neutral in that scenario.
- explodes 6mo agoThere is a difference between "correct" and "how it is actually used by real people."
- laichzeit0 6mo agoI must have missed the brief somewhere, but there was/is a very clear trend to replace the default male pronoun for gender neutrality with the female pronoun she. Just recently I noticed this in Judea Pearl’s Book of Why. When and why did this start happening? It feels so forced and unnatural. You can sense he’s trying to kiss someone’s ass or appease an authority. At least mix it up a bit at best if you truly give a crap.
- msla 6mo agoIncorrect according to who? You? Your Sainted Mother? Sounds innovative to me, and hardly traditional. Saying male is somehow gender neutral sounds even more bizarre. No, usage makes correctness in language, not people trying to invent some weird conlang they wrongly insist is correct English.
- SoftTalker 6mo ago> Incorrect according to who? All my English teachers from Grades 1-12. Using "they" as a singular pronoun would bring out the red pen.
- msla 6mo agoWell, they were obviously incorrect.
- tempaccountabgd 6mo ago[dead]
- Natfan 6mo agomale pronouns wouldn't be the default to a woman.