Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site deepthot.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!deepthot!julian From: julian@deepthot.UUCP (Julian Davies) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Replacement for he/she Message-ID: <145@deepthot.UUCP> Date: Tue, 7-Feb-84 16:11:36 EST Article-I.D.: deepthot.145 Posted: Tue Feb 7 16:11:36 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 01:17:55 EST References: <3800@gatech.UUCP> Organization: UWO CS, London Canada Lines: 17 This is definitely a controversial one. Personally I like to have the option of using "they" in a singular sense, sparingly. I don't feel that any important confusion over singular/plural distinctions results. However, last year I was editing text, Organization and Procedures description for a religious body, with a view to removing 'sexist' language while keeping a decent style. My suggestion that we have the flexibility to use "they" in the singular sense was objected to by someone who felt that the words "they" and "them" have an intrinsic depersonalizing and distancing aura (to use my own words for his point). It was decided not to use "them" etc. I still use it in my own writing at times. Nearly all the time, a sentence can be reorganised to avoid needing to use a sex-linked pronoun, but not always neatly. Julian Davies ...!utzoo!uwo!julian