Advertisement
to the best writer I know in person:
Franktastik, if I want to say "his" or "her" in a gender-neutral way, is it OK to use "their"?
Thanks
Franktastik, if I want to say "his" or "her" in a gender-neutral way, is it OK to use "their"?
Thanks
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 11:02 AMto the smartest Brazilian I've ever met:
A prescriptivist grammarian would say no, always use "his or her".
A descriptivist grammarian would note that the use of "their" in this case has become so common that it now qualifies as accepted usage.
I, personally, like to write "s/he/it," because it manages to be informative and dirty at the same time. -
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 11:16 AMThank you. I guess I'll just go with "his" and piss off the feminists then.
We're so nice to each other today. What's wrong with us? Is it because of Beltane? -
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 12:48 PM> We're so nice to each other today. What's wrong with us? Is it because of Beltane? <
I don't know about you, but I'm celebrating May Day by being more tolerant of third-wolders. -
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 1:47 PMThe International
Arise ye workers from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth the old tradition
And spurn the dust to win the prize.
Refrain:
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
No more deluded by reaction
On tyrants only we'll make war
The soldiers too will take strike action
They'll break ranks and fight no more
And if those cannibals keep trying
To sacrifice us to their pride
They soon shall hear the bullets flying
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.
No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
E'er the thieves will out with their booty
And give to all a happier lot.
Each at the forge must do their duty
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.
-
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 1:49 PMI remember May Day in Brazil when I was about 10. I'd go with my dad to the factories in the suburbs of São Paulo at 5 AM, when the night shift was letting out and the morning shift coming in, and we'd pass pamphlets around. -
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 10:19 PM"we'd pass pamphlets around."...
...about English grammer?
That bungwhole who wrote, What Color Makes Your Boat Float {er whatever}, has some preamble therein which states that "their" was once used back when we didn't care too much about knowing whether they're a man or a woman. I believe nowadays using, 'woperchild', is your safest route. -
-
Re: English question
Tue, May 1, 2007 - 10:48 PM<..about English grammer? >
Yeah, punctuation, that sort of stuff.
-
-
-
-
-
-