[Ads-l] Some thoughts on singular they

[Baron, Dennis E]

There’s a new post on the Web of Language: Some thoughts on singular they

Singular they is in the news again, this time not simply as an alternative to the obsolescent generic he, or the cumbersome he or she, but in discussions of what pronouns to use for trans or gender-nonconforming individuals. Although the high-profile Chelsea Manning and Caitlyn Jenner have publicly opted for the femine pronouns as they transition, not everyone feels included in the traditional male-female binary, and some people wish to avoid gender marking altogether, so they choose invented pronouns like hir and zie, or singular they. . . . The grammatical objection that plural pronouns can’t refer to singular antecedents is simply wrong.

Find out why on the Web of Language: http://bit.ly/1ORU5Vr




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