MSGID: 1:153/716.0 c7d73eb0   
   REPLY: 2:221/6.0 5c77bc74   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to Dallas Hinton:   
      
   AK>  I found in Wikipedia information that "they" can be   
   AK>  used as single pronoun:   
      
   AK>  _SINGULAR THEY_ is the use in English of the pronoun   
   AK>  _they_ or its inflected or derivative forms, _them_,   
   AK>  _their_, _theirs_, and _themselves_ (or _themself_),   
   AK>  as an epicene (gender-neutral) singular pronoun. It   
   AK>  typically occurs with an unspecified antecedent, as   
   AK>  in sentences such as:   
      
   AK>  "_The patient_ should be told at the outset how much   
   AK>  _they_ will be required to pay."   
   AK>  "But _a journalist_ should not be forced to reveal   
   AK>  _their_ sources."   
      
      
              I can see some justification for it here, because it is easier than   
   writing "s/he" and "him/her" or trying to reason with a person who feels their   
   (!) gender is being ignored although they don't notice when the shoe is on the   
   other foot.  My CANADIAN OXFORD, however, lists "themself" as "disputed".  :-)   
      
      
      
   AK>  The singular _they_ had emerged by the 14th century,   
   AK>  about a century after plural _they_. It has been   
   AK>  commonly employed in everyday English ever since then,   
   AK>  though it has become the target of criticism since the   
   AK>  late-19th century.   
      
      
              Hmm.  Fowler's cites some evidence in support of this idea, but I'm   
   doubtful "they" was commonly used as a gender-neutral pronoun between the late   
   1900's & the 1960's or early 1970's... when the feminists adopted it... except   
   maybe when people thought the government should fix something.  Typically when   
   grammarians voice an objection they encounter more popular resistance....  :-Q   
      
      
      
   AK>  Its use in formal English has become more common with   
   AK>  the trend toward gender-neutral language,   
      
      
              It has become more common in recent years, but not because the mood   
   at the time of its resurgence took into account that our ancestors knew things   
   we might well pay attention to.  Quite the contrary... Jerry Rubin, e.g., made   
   headlines when he advised other folks not to trust anybody over 30.  I suppose   
   they must have followed his advice because he doesn't make headlines now.  ;-)   
      
      
      
   AK>  though most style guides continue to proscribe it.   
      
      
              I would argue that if "most style guides continue to proscribe it",   
   it's not formal English.  There are degrees of formality, however... and I see   
   that, in general, academic standards are less formal than they once were.  :-)   
      
      
      
   AK>  In the early 21st century, use of singular _they_ with   
   AK>  known individuals has been promoted for those who do   
   AK>  not identify as male or female:   
      
   AK>  "This is my friend, _Jay_. I met _them_ at work."   
      
      
              When introductions are being made it is customary to add a scrap of   
   information giving the other person a clue as to what might be a good topic to   
   begin a conversation with.  While I realize this is a hypothetical example I'm   
   inclined to think it would be enough to say e.g. "We met at work" or "Jay is a   
   computer programmer".  If I know Jay well enough I may be privy to information   
   s/he's not ready to share with the world at large, but referring to the friend   
   who is sitting or standing within arms' reach as "they" is AFAIC like making a   
   public announcement that his/her gender identity is nobody else's business.  I   
   am reminded of a colleague who insisted on being addressed as "Ms." years ago.   
   She claimed her marital status was nobody else's business... until she married   
   and insisted on being addressed as "Mrs.", that is.  Playing fancy tricks with   
   the language makes others more determined to find out what one is hiding.  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
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