The singular pronoun ‘they’ was widely accepted in written English until the end of the 18th century, when grammarians began attacking it. So ‘they’ isn’t new—it’s a return to venerable usage.
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From The Vault: ‘Solving the Great Pronoun Debate’ (October 1985)
Male pronouns are supposedly the hardest form of sexist language to overcome. Purists insist that “he,” “his” and “him” are indispensable when the person in question is unidentified or archetypical.
In apocalyptic terms, they warn that nonsexist alternatives are ostentatious and politicized.
The purists sound like 15th-century cartographers warning Columbus about the sea monsters.
Despite the humbug, we can solve the Great Pronoun Problem. Nonsexist usage, like all first-rate writing and speech, requires skill placed in the service of an educated eye and ear. But we needn’t exaggerate the difficulty. Practice is necessary. Genius is not.
Do pronouns matter? President Ronald Reagan thinks so. He calls Christians ‘we’ and calls everyone else ‘they.’
The Simplest Solution of Them All
Millions of people have been using “they,” “their” and “them” as third-person singulars all along. They are eminently sensible.
As a reformed pedant, I don’t say that casually. Until a few years ago, I agreed with the columnist who called the singular they “grammatically repulsive.” I scorned people who used it, considering them fundamentally uncouth––like public smokers. But I’ve seen the light.
Many word watchers endorse “they.” During the last 10 or 15 years, they have alerted us to its surprisingly long and respectable history. Valuable scholarly discussions by Ann Bodine and Rosa Shand Turner teach us that “they” was widely accepted in written English until the end of the 18th century, when grammarians began attacking it.
So “they” isn’t some new, sloppy corruption of “correct” English—but rather a return to venerable usage. George Jochnowitz concludes that it is wrong, even astounding, to consider “they” incorrect for formal writing when it predates “he” and is nearly universal in colloquial and spoken English.
Do pronouns matter? President Ronald Reagan thinks so. He calls Christians “we” and calls everyone else “they.” In contrast, Jimmy Carter talks about the typical presidential candidate “himself or herself.”
Way to go, Jimmy.
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