It's very much a "work-around," but I've been known to use "he" in one
sentence, and "she" in the next - thus removing the sexist implications of
gendered pronoun trouble altogether.  This way we're not using "their" as a
singular, and we're still respecting the "inherent sexism of the English
language" argument.  Not a perfect solution, but the one I can best live
with, right now.

 

-patty

 

  _____  

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul E. Doniger
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 5:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Any member can give their opinion

 

I find it acceptable in conversation (sometimes), but not in formal writing.
My students (high school) have a very hard time with my "conservative"
attitude about it. I don't find it easy to read "their," et al, as singular
pronouns.

 

Paul D.
 

"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable
fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128). 

 

  _____  

From: DD Farms <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 10:33:14 PM
Subject: Any member can give their opinion

At 06:15 PM 4/8/2009, O'Sullivan, Brian P wrote:
> I was wondering whether list members find that it is now acceptable (or at
least accepted in some circles) to use "they" or "their" as an alternative
to constructions like "he or she" or "his or her"--that is, as a
gender-neutral third-person pronoun (as in my subject line).

DD: HORROR! I demur. Keep those agreeable agreements amongst the components
of the utterance.  
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