another "he or she"

[Victor Steinbok]

There is plenty out in the field on gender-related contortions with
mismatched pronouns. I just spotted one that may represent yet another
version.

 From the complaint document against two of the eleven "Russian agents":
>
> A recently-conducted review of DOJ files indicates that ANNA CHAPMAN
> and MIKHAIL SEMENKO, the defendants, have never notified the DOJ that
> he or she is an agent of the Russian Federation.

The implication is that neither of these individuals has registered as
an agent. I am not convinced that this meaning was actually communicated
by the statement. Of all the plausible ways to express the sentiment,
this, to my ear, is one of the worst.

Note, also, that Chapman was arrested in Manhattan, near her residence,
and Semenko was arrested in Arlington, VA, at his residence. Best I can
tell, they are not in any way related and do not function as a unit, in
the sense that there is no indication that either one or the other can
represent both.

     VS-)

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