You’ll notice I added a Grammar section. I figured if a fourth post about this would appear, it’s only fair.
You may know about my friend, The Grammar Vandal. She’s been all over Boston fixing improperly punctuated signs and correcting carelessly formed words (everyday). Take a look at a sign we both discovered at a new Papyrus store:
It should be ‘every day‘. It is unbelievable that Papyrus’ marketing team would make such a big mistake. I took the liberty of placing a “Panda Says No” sticker from my Eats, Shoots and Leaves book.
The latest news evolves The Grammar Vandal and the police during an effort to correct a street sign that said, “Professors Row”. Take a read and chuckle.
Singular they
Today we had a bit of an argument, which resulted in a denial to my request to become a contributer to her grammar blog. The debate was over the word they (or their, them) to be used as a singular pronoun where the article is indefinite. For example, it is argued that saying, “A good student does their homework,” is incorrect and that ‘their’ should be replaced with ‘his or her’. My friend argued that their is for plural use (’The students did their homework’). I struck back with the fact that they is defined in the Oxford American Dictionary as, “[singular] used to refer to a person of unspecified sex : ask someone if they could help.” Usage defines a word and language does evolve (note the addition of ‘ginormous’ to the Merriam-Webster dictionary just this past week).
Multiple grammar and usage guides have accepted this use of the singular use of they. The Cambridge Guide to English Usage says this use of the word avoids sexism, as many choose to say a universal he instead of him or her:
“It avoids gratuitous sexism and gives the statement broadest reference. ‘They/them/their’ are now freely used in agreement with singular indefinite pronouns and determiners, those with universal implications such as any(one), every(one), no(one), as well as each and some(one), whose reference is often more individual.”
Merriam-Webster says, “The use of they, their, them, and themselves as pronouns of indefinite gender and indefinite number is well established in speech and writing, even in literary and formal contexts.” And my point is made.
Side Note >> Kate McCulley, The Grammer Vandal, makes her debut this Sunday (July 15, 2007) in the Boston Globe after cracking down on grammatical errors on Boston’s Newbury Street. In the meantime, take a look at some photos of her findings.
>> For previous posts on grammar, check out the grammar section
1 Comment
23 Jul 2007 at 17:19
In 1951 I passed the Bar Exam and began what became my lifetime practice of law. With the passsage of time, I became aware of some thing s about the use of our language that no one had ever bothered to teach me.
It took me more than a year to realize that a gramatically correct and near perfect manner of speech intimidated many of those less well educated. A potential witness might become embrassed to say that —- “the Chevy was running like a bat outa Hell” and would risk loseing credibility by giving a more stilted account.
It took another year to become comfortable working some slopyness back into my speech.
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