Question to English Teachers.

[lawtonfogle]

What is the third person singular genderless pronoun used to replace a noun for a human? "It" works when talking about any other thing except humans, but using "it" does not seem right when referring to a human.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

'They' is pretty common for generic singular third person.

 

[Lenora56]

Some instructors will deduct points for use of they as the third person singular pronoun. Some people use "he or she," which I find awkward, and some writers will alternate between he and she. I suppose if you're only using the pronoun one time, you could say, "he or she," and if you're using it several times, the two pronouns could umm... take turns.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Some instructors will deduct points for use of they as the third person singular pronoun.

Sounds rather mean.

 

[Lenora56]

Sounds rather mean.

Be that as it may, a few years ago when I was taking college English courses, the teacher told us not to use "they" as a third person singular pronoun, probably because "they" is plural. I suppose the best thing for a student to do would be to ask the instructor what to use.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Be that as it may, a few years ago when I was taking college English courses, the teacher told us not to use "they" as a third person singular pronoun, probably because "they" is plural. I suppose the best thing for a student to do would be to ask the instructor what to use.

Was the teacher an native English speaker?

 

[Lenora56]

Was the teacher an native English speaker?

Yes.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I wonder why he deducted marks for using standard English.

 

[GrinningDwarf]

Be that as it may, a few years ago when I was taking college English courses, the teacher told us not to use "they" as a third person singular pronoun, probably because "they" is plural. I suppose the best thing for a student to do would be to ask the instructor what to use.

I successfully argued this point with an English teacher in college. I was going to be penalized because I kept using it when rewording made a sentance too awkward, and I refused to submit to the PC police with 'he/she', which is even more awkward!! I did some research and discovered that using 'they' for a third person singular genderless pronoun is acceptable by the Oxford English Dictionary. You should have seen the look on the teachers face when I said, "Hey...go argue it with the OED staff, not me!!"

 

[CelticRose]

I agree. He/she is stupid & awkward. They is neuter & quite acceptable. It would be understood as singular in context.

 

[Lenora56]

I successfully argued this point with an English teacher in college. I was going to be penalized because I kept using it when rewording made a sentance too awkward, and I refused to submit to the PC police with 'he/she', which is even more awkward!! I did some research and discovered that using 'they' for a third person singular genderless pronoun is acceptable by the Oxford English Dictionary. You should have seen the look on the teachers face when I said, "Hey...go argue it with the OED staff, not me!!"

Well, that does make it easier and less awkward. During my first college life (back in the 70's, which are the olden days to some), we were still using the masculine pronoun to go along with "each" and "every." The use of "they" as a singular prounoun was scandalous.

The writers handbook that I have now is a 2002 edition of Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers. It states that the use of "they" as a singular pronoun is gaining favor, but give suggestions on sentence restructuring to avoid its use, which was probably the best thing to do, knowing that some students may not have option of using "they." Of course, I realize the book is now five years old, and things seem to have moved right along. That same professor that told us not to use "they" (in my second college life) may be now allowing it.

 

[Tariel]

My writing professor would probably just about kill any student found using "they." I understand his reasoning. Think about it...it may be correct, but it's not-quite-professional. There's always the awkard yet formal, "he or she" or there's also the possiblity of rewording the sentence so that the problem isn't an issue.

 

[Lenora56]

My writing professor would probably just about kill any student found using "they." I understand his reasoning. Think about it...it may be correct, but it's not-quite-professional. There's always the awkard yet formal, "he or she" or there's also the possiblity of rewording the sentence so that the problem isn't an issue.

Well, strictly speaking for myself, I don't use "they" as a singular pronoun. If things are migrating in that direction a few years from now, it might not be an issue. For now, I don't care for the sound if it. Of course, I'm from the old school. For instance, I do not pronounce the "t" in "often." I had an elementary teacher that so drilled it into our heads that the "t" is silent that I will not pronounce it to this day, even though almost everyone else does!

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Singular they has been in use for hundreds of years! It's not a new thing.

Even if it were new, English is a constantly evolving language, and so we shouldn't get stuck in a 1950's timewarp (or whatever era those teachers were drilled in (note ending preposition, which is perfectly acceptable) ).

Presumably we all use the singular you, instead of thou?

 

[Lenora56]

Singular they has been in use for hundreds of years! It's not a new thing.

Even if it were new, English is a constantly evolving language, and so we shouldn't get stuck in a 1950's timewarp (or whatever era those teachers were drilled in (note ending preposition, which is perfectly acceptable) ).

Presumably we all use the singular you, instead of thou?

Naomi, I'll have to plead ingnorance on the statement that the singular "they" has been in use for hundreds of years. Could you point me to a reference or two? I'd like to improve my ignorance to knowledge ratio just a little bit.

 

[GrinningDwarf]

Naomi, I'll have to plead ingnorance on the statement that the singular "they" has been in use for hundreds of years. Could you point me to a reference or two? I'd like to improve my ignorance to knowledge ratio just a little bit.

Find an Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford gives pretty thourough etymologies. That's how I won that debate with my English teacher...I photocopied the page out of the OED.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Naomi, I'll have to plead ingnorance on the statement that the singular "they" has been in use for hundreds of years. Could you point me to a reference or two? I'd like to improve my ignorance to knowledge ratio just a little bit.

Jane Austen was a voracious user

 

[Lenora56]

Okay Naomi and uh...Dwarf, I am looking up some things and hmm...learning some things. I'll get back to you probably later today. I have errands to run and a painting to finish.

 

[Eskarina]

It is common in textbooks and assorted articles to use either he or she when refering to a theoretical person. This is done especially when presenting a scenario. Often the writer will alternate between male and female from one scenario, but it should not be done within the same scenario.

 

[Lenora56]

I see now that "they' has been commonly used for longer than I thought. I'll continue to usually use he or she (one or the other, not the awkward combination of both), since that is also accepted, and I am most comfortable with it. However, even though I don't care for the sound of "they" as a singular third person pronoun, I would not deduct points from a student who used it. Well, I mean that IF I were an English teacher I wouldn't deduct the points. Okay, I'm rambling.

Bye