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'They' as the gender-neutral singular pronoun |
| Your thoughts |
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Replies: 48 Last Post April 22, 2007 1:14pm by Babiilnc
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Stormblazer
Visionary
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It's grammatically incorrect actually, though it is used most of the time as a gender-neutral pronoun (even though technically it's not).
------- Religion: Apathetic agnostic Political Affiliation: Independent
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Yummie Strawberries
Χάος
Patron
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I personally think it's perfectly fine to use in speech (possibly because I do it all the time), but not in a formal essay or the like, as others have said. You hear it more in dialogue than you see it written down.
------- lulz
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winters
Connoisseur
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I tend to use "one" in most of the situations, but sometimes I use "they" (only informally, of course, I would never write it in any formal occassion), and I have noticed that the usage of "they" in English is widespread even in counties like mine, where English is not the primary spoken language. Personally, I could not care less regarding the usage of "they". English is the language I love the least (except perhaps French) out of the ones I can speak, so I am not inclined to ponder much about such issues in it. I am fine both with "one" and with "they". Language changes, that cannot be disputed, and some 'ungrammatical' things are slowly becoming the norm, whether we like it or not. The only question in it is whether the language change is a progress or decay.
------- Religion which you consider an opiate and wish to abolish May be the only anaesthesia that enables the masses To deal with the terrors of existence.
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obvious child
Guru
Ad Free
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In the academic and business world you do not use they. Pick a gender and stick with it. Any ambiguity is one of the last things you want in instructions or managament procedures.
------- "Thin air? Why is it always thin air? Never fat air, chubby air, mostly-fit-could-stand-lose-a-few-pounds air?"
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mapleafan
Enlightened One
Patron
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I do agree, you are right though, Language does change. 'Diss' is now in the dictionary.
------- www.unfortunate-epidemic.com FUNNY VIDEOS FEATURING ME!
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tamashii
Connoisseur
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I use 'they' alot, because I'm not out to many people and if I wanna say i like someone I can't refer to her as 'she'.
------- Telling a sad person to be happy; is like asking a deaf guy to listen.
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11:57 am on Oct. 22, 2006 | Joined Aug. 2006 | 220 Days Active Join to learn more about tamashii California, United States | Label Free Female | 4147 Posts | 6669 Points
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( Spasty )
Guru
Patron
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Quote: from Caseofbaskets at 6:57 pm on Oct. 22, 2006
Quote: from Spasty at 12:40 am on Sep. 27, 2006
Quote: from porcelain at 12:35 am on Sep. 27, 2006
No. It just doesn't sound right whne you use it as one. gender-neutral plural pronoun.. yes. Not singular, though. If I'm not understanding the point of your post, sorry. 
I messed up the word. I mean the context of, "They have a book." Instead of, "He/she has a book." 
Strictly speaking, if "they" is a gender neutral singular pronoun, it would be "They has a book", not "They have a book" (which is gender-neutral plural). 
Not at all. Regardless of what it stands for, "to have" is conjugated as "have." Always. You can't change that.
------- SIGN UP HERE!! SIGN UP HERE!! SIGN UP HERE!! SIGN UP HERE!!
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