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Singular /they/
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*Singular /they/* is the use in English of the pronoun /they
</wiki/They>/, or its inflected </wiki/Inflection> or derivative forms,
such as /them/, /their/, or /themselves/, as a "pronoun that is neutral
between masculine and feminine",^[1]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770-1> to refer to a
single person or an antecedent </wiki/Antecedent_(grammar)> that is
grammatically singular. It typically occurs with an antecedent of
indeterminate gender, as in sentences such as:
* "/Everyone/ returned to /their/ seats."^[2]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378-2>
* "/Somebody/ left /their/ umbrella in the office. Would /they/ please
collect it?"^[3] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528-3>
* "/The patient/ should be told at the outset how much /they/ will be
required to pay."^[4] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493-4>
* "But /a journalist/ should not be forced to reveal /their/
sources."^[4] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493-4>
A reason for its use is that English has no dedicated singular personal
pronoun of indeterminate gender.^[5]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003717-5> In some cases, its use can be
explained by notional agreement because words like "everyone", though
singular in form, are plural in meaning.^[6]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643.E2.80.93644-6> Its use in formal
English has increased in recent times with the trend toward
gender-inclusive language </wiki/Gender-inclusive_language>,^[4]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493-4> but it has been used by
respected writers for centuries.^[7]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734.E2.80.93736-7>
Though singular /they/ has a long history of usage and is common in
everyday English, its use has been criticized since the late nineteenth
century, and acceptance varies.
Contents
[hide <#>]
* 1 Inflected forms and derivative pronouns
<#Inflected_forms_and_derivative_pronouns>
* 2 Usage <#Usage>
o 2.1 Older usage by respected authors
<#Older_usage_by_respected_authors>
o 2.2 Trend to prescription of generic /he/ from 19th century
<#Trend_to_prescription_of_generic_he_from_19th_century>
o 2.3 Contemporary use of /he/ to refer to a generic or indefinite
antecedent
<#Contemporary_use_of_he_to_refer_to_a_generic_or_indefinite_antecedent>
o 2.4 Trend to gender-neutral language from the 20th century
<#Trend_to_gender-neutral_language_from_the_20th_century>
+ 2.4.1 Use for specific, known people
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
<#Use_for_specific.2C_known_people>
o 2.5 Contemporary usage <#Contemporary_usage>
+ 2.5.1 Use with a pronoun antecedent
<#Use_with_a_pronoun_antecedent>
+ 2.5.2 Use with a generic noun as antecedent
<#Use_with_a_generic_noun_as_antecedent>
3 Acceptability and prescriptive guidance
<#Acceptability_and_prescriptive_guidance>
o 3.1 Usage guidance in BritishAmerican style guides
<#Usage_guidance_in_British.E2.80.93American_style_guides>
o 3.2 Usage guidance in American style guides
<#Usage_guidance_in_American_style_guides>
o 3.3 Usage guidance in British style guides
<#Usage_guidance_in_British_style_guides>
o 3.4 Australian usage guidance <#Australian_usage_guidance>
o 3.5 Usage guidance in English grammars
<#Usage_guidance_in_English_grammars>
4 Grammatical and logical analysis <#Grammatical_and_logical_analysis>
o 4.1 Distribution <#Distribution>
o 4.2 Referential and non-referential anaphors
<#Referential_and_non-referential_anaphors>
5 Cognitive efficiency <#Cognitive_efficiency>
6 Comparison with other pronouns <#Comparison_with_other_pronouns>
7 See also <#See_also>
8 Notes <#Notes>
9 References <#References>
10 Sources of original examples <#Sources_of_original_examples>
11 Bibliography <#Bibliography>
12 External links <#External_links>
Inflected forms and derivative pronouns[edit
</w/index.php?title=Singular_they&action=edit&section=1>]
Inflected forms of third-person personal pronouns

Subjective
(nominative </wiki/Nominative_case>)
Objective
(accusative </wiki/Accusative_case>)
Prenominal possessive
</wiki/Possessive_adjective>
(dependent genitive)
Predicative possessive </wiki/Possessive_pronoun>
(independent genitive) Reflexive </wiki/Reflexive_pronoun>
*He </wiki/He>*
/He/ laughs.
I hug /him/.
/His/ hair grows.
I use
/his/. He feeds /himself/.
*She </wiki/She>*
/She/ laughs. I hug /her/.
/Her/ hair grows.
I use
/hers/.
She feeds /herself/.
Prototypical *they </wiki/They>*
When I tell my children a joke /they/
laugh. Whether they win or lose, I hug /them./
As long as people live,
/their/ hair grows.
Most of my friends have cell phones, so I use
/theirs/.
The children feed /themselves/.
*Singular /they/*
When I tell someone a joke /they/ laugh.
When I
greet a friend I hug /them/.
When someone does not get a haircut,
/their/ hair grows long.
If my mobile phone runs out of power, a friend
lets me borrow /theirs/.
Each child feeds /themself/. (nonstandard)
*Generic /he/*
</wiki/Gender-specific_and_gender-neutral_pronouns#Generic_he> When I
tell someone a joke /he/ laughs.
When I greet a friend I hug /him/.
When someone does not get a haircut, /his/ hair grows long.
If my
mobile phone runs out of power, a friend lets me borrow /his/. Each
child feeds /himself/.
Singular /they/ has the same inflected forms as the "normal", plural
/they/, i.e. /them/ and /their/. They are usually both used with the
same verb forms, i.e. "when I tell someone a joke /they/ laugh*s*" would
be non-standard.
The reflexive form /themselves/ is sometimes used but there is an
alternative reflexive form /themself/. Although /themself/ has a long
history and re-emerged in the 1980s, it is still fairly rare and is
accepted only by a minority.^[8]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002494-8> ^[9]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104-9> ^[10]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996777-10> It is sometimes used when
referring to a single person of indeterminate gender, where the plural
form /themselves/ might seem incongruous, as in
* "It is not an actor pretending to be Reagan or Thatcher, it is, in
grotesque form, the person themself."Hislop (1984);^[11]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHislop198423-11> quoted in Fowler's^[12]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996776.2C_themself-12>
Singular /themself/ is used systematically in Canadian federal
legislative texts in opposition to the plural /themselves/.
* "Where a recipient of an allowance under section 4 absents themself
from Canada [...]"/War Veterans Allowance Act/, section 14.^[13]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTECanadian_government201318-13>
* "[...] the following conditions are imposed on a person or group of
persons in respect of whom a deposit is required: [...] to present
themself or themselves at the time and place that an officer or the
Immigration Division requires them to appear to comply with any
obligation imposed on them under the Act."/Immigration and Refugee
Protection Regulations/, section 48.^[14]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTECanadian_government201448-14>
Usage[edit </w/index.php?title=Singular_they&action=edit&section=2>]
Further information: Gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns
</wiki/Gender-specific_and_gender-neutral_pronouns>
/They/ with a singular antecedent has remained in common use for
centuries in spite of its proscription by traditional grammarians.^[15]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler2015814-15> Such use goes back to the Middle
English </wiki/Middle_English> of the 14th century.^[16]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493.E2.80.93494-16> ^[17]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAmerican_Heritage_Dictionaries1996178-17>
Older usage by respected authors[edit
It is found in the writings of many respected authors, including Chaucer
</wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer>, Shakespeare </wiki/William_Shakespeare>, Jane
Austen </wiki/Jane_Austen>, Thackeray
</wiki/William_Makepeace_Thackeray>, and Shaw </wiki/George_Bernard_Shaw>:
* "And whoso fyndeth hym out of swich blame,
/They/ wol come up . . ."
Chaucer, /The Pardoner's Prologue/ (c. 1395);^[18]

<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChaucer1395195-18> quoted by Jespersen and
thence in /Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English
Usage/.^[19] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734-19>
* "
' Tis meet that some more audience than /a mother/, since nature
makes /them/ partial, should o'erhear the speech." Shakespeare,
/Hamlet </wiki/Hamlet>/ (1599);^[20]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEShakespeare1599105-20> quoted in
/Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage/.^[21]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735-21>
* "If /a person/ is born of a . . . gloomy temper . . . /they/ cannot
help it." Chesterfield, /Letter to his son/ (1759);^[22]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChesterfield1759568-22> quoted in
/Fowler's/.^[23] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996779-23>
* "Now /nobody/ does anything well that /they/ cannot help doing"
Ruskin, /The Crown of Wild Olive/ (1866);^[24]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTERuskin186644-24> quoted in /Fowler's/.^[23]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996779-23>
* "/Nobody/ in /their/ senses would give sixpence on the strength of a
promissory note of the kind." Bagehot, /The Liberal Magazine/
(1910);^[25] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBagehot1910-25> quoted in
/Fowler's/.^[26] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1926648-26>
* "I would have /every body/ marry if /they/ can do it properly."
Austen </wiki/Jane_Austen>, /Mansfield Park
</wiki/Mansfield_Park_(novel)>/ (1814);^[27]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAusten181437-27> quoted in /Merriam-Webster's
Concise Dictionary of English Usage/.^[19]
* Caesar: "No, Cleopatra. /No man/ goes to battle to be killed."
Cleopatra: "But /they/ do get killed"
Shaw </wiki/George_Bernard_Shaw>, /Caesar and Cleopatra
</wiki/Caesar_and_Cleopatra_(play)>/ (1901);^[28]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEShaw190167-28> quoted in Merriam-Webster's
Concise Dictionary of English Usage.^[21]
* "/A person/ can't help /their/ birth." W. M. Thackeray, /Vanity
Fair/ (1848);^[29] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThackeray186866-29> quoted in
/Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage/.^[19]
Alongside /they/, however, it was also acceptable to use the pronoun
/he/ as a (purportedly) gender-neutral pronoun,^[30]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996358-30> as in the following:
* "Suppose the life and fortune of /every one of us/ would depend on
/his/ winning or losing a game of chess." Thomas Huxley
</wiki/Thomas_Henry_Huxley>, /A Liberal Education/ (1868);^[31]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuxley1868-31> quoted by Baskervill.^[32]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7409-32>
* "If /any one/ did not know it, it was /his/ own fault." George
Washington Cable </wiki/George_Washington_Cable>, /Old Creole Days/
(1879);^[33] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTECable1879-33> quoted by
Baskervill.^[32] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7409-32>
* "/No one/ shall be arbitrarily deprived of /his/ nationality nor
denied the right to change /his/ nationality." Article 15,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
</wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights> (1948).^[34]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUNO_1948-34>
In Thackeray's writings, we find both
* "/A person/ can't help /their/ birth."Rosalind in W. M. Thackeray,
/Vanity Fair/ (1848);^[29] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThackeray186866-29>
quoted from the OED by Curzan in /Gender Shifts in the History of
English/.^[35] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTECurzan200377-35>
and
* "/Every person/ who turns this page has /his/ own little diary." W.
M. Thackeray, /On Lett's Diary/ (1869);^[36]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThackeray1869189-36> quoted in Baskervill, /An
English Grammar/.^[37] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7410-37>
And Caxton writes
* "/Eche of theym/ sholde . . . make /theymselfe/ redy." Caxton
</wiki/William_Caxton>, /Sonnes of Aymon/ (c. 1489)^[38]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTECaxton148939-38>
alongside
* "/Who/ of thise wormes shall be byten, /He/ must have triacle; Yf
not that, /he/ shall deye." Caxton </wiki/William_Caxton>,
/Dialogues in French and English/ (c. 1483).^[39]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTECaxton148311-39>
Trend to prescription of generic /he/ from 19th century[edit
Preferring /he/ as a purportedly gender-neutral pronoun,
nineteenth-century grammarians insisted on a singular pronoun on the
grounds of number agreement, though permitting the apparent lack of
gender agreement, and rejecting "he or she" as clumsy.^[40]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBodine1975133-40>
A recommendation to use the generic /he/, rather than /they/, in formal
English can be found as early as the mid-18th century, in Ann Fisher
</wiki/Ann_Fisher_(grammarian)>'s /A New Grammar
</w/index.php?title=A_New_Grammar&action=edit&redlink=1>/, where she writes:
The /Masculine Person/ answers to the /general Name/, which
comprehends both /Male/ and /Female/; as, /any Person who knows what
he says/^[41] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFisher1750-41> (as quoted by
Ostade^[42] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOstade2000-42> )
An 1895 grammar (Baskervill, W.M. and Sewell, J.W.: /An English Grammar
for the Use of High School, Academy and College Class/) notes the common
use of the singular /they/ but recommends use of the generic /he/, on
the basis of number agreement:
Another way of referring to an antecedent which is a distributive
pronoun [e.g. /everybody/] or a noun modified by a distributive
adjective [e.g. every], is to use the plural of the pronoun
following. This is not considered the best usage, the logical
analysis requiring the singular pronoun in each case; but the
construction is frequently found /when the antecedent includes or
implies both genders/. The masculine does not really represent a

feminine antecedent, and the expression /his or her/ is avoided as
being cumbrous.
Baskervill, An English Grammar^[43]
Baskervill gives a number of examples of recognized authors using the
singular /they/, including
* "/Every one/ must judge according to /their/ own feelings." Byron,
/Werner/ (1823),^[44] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEByron1823vi-44> quoted as
"/Every one/ must judge of [sic] /their/ own feelings."^[43]
* "Had the Doctor been contented to take my dining tables as /any
body/ in /their/ senses would have done " Austen, /Mansfield Park/
(1814);^[45] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAusten1814195-45> ^[43]
* "If the part deserve any comment, every considering /Christian/ will
make it to /themselves/ as /they/ go " Defoe, /The Family
Instructor/ (1816);^[46] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDefoe1816200-46> ^[43]
* "/Every person's/ happiness depends in part upon the respect /they/
meet in the world " Paley,^[47]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPaley1825200-47> ^[43]
but prefers the use of /he/:
[] when the antecedent includes both masculine and feminine, or is
a distributive word, taking in each of many persons,the *preferred*
method is to put the pronoun following in the masculine singular []
Baskervill, An English Grammar^[37]
In 1850, the British Parliament passed an act which provided that, when
used in acts of Parliament "words importing the masculine gender shall
be deemed and taken to include females".^[48]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199546-48> ^[49]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWarenda1993101-49>
It has been argued that the real motivation for promoting the "generic"
/he/ was an androcentic world view, with the default sex of humans being
male and the default gender therefore being masculine.^[40]
As Wilson wrote in 1560
* " let us keepe a naturall order, and set the man before the woman
for maners sake". Wilson, /The arte of Rhetorique/ (1560);^[50]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilson1560167-50>
* " the worthier is preferred and set before. As a man is set before
a woman " Wilson, /The arte of Rhetorique/ (1560);^[51]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilson1560208-51>
and Poole wrote in 1646
* "The Masculine gender is more worthy than the Feminine." Poole
/The English Accidence/ (1646); ^[52]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPoole164621-52> cited by Bodine^[53]

In spite of continuous attempts on the part of educationalists to
proscribe singular /they/ in favour of /he/, its use remained
widespread, and the advice was largely ignored, even by writers of the
period, though the advice may have been observed more by American
writers.^[54] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTELeonard1929225-54> ^[55]
Use of the purportedly gender-neutral /he/ remained acceptable until at
least the 1960s,^[30] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996358-30> though some
uses of /he/ were later criticized as being awkward or silly, for
instance when referring to:^[21]
* indeterminate persons of both sexes:
o "the ideal that /every boy and girl/ should be so equipped that
/he/ shall not be handicapped in /his/ struggle for social
progress " C.C. Fries, /American English Grammar/,
(1940).^[56] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFries1969215-56>
* known persons of both sexes:
o "She and Louis had a gamewho could find the ugliest photograph
of himself." Joseph P. Lash, /Eleanor and Franklin/ (1971)^[57]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTELash1981454-57>
Contemporary use of /he/ to refer to a generic or indefinite
antecedent[edit
/He/ is still sometimes found in contemporary writing when referring to
a generic or indeterminate antecedent. In some cases it is clear from
the situation that the persons potentially referred to are likely to be
male, as in
* "The patient should be informed of his therapeutic options." in a
text about prostate cancer (2004)^[58]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWeissKaplanFair2004147-58>
In some cases the antecedent may refer to persons who are only
/probably/ male or to occupations traditionally thought of as male:
* "It wouldn't be as if /the lone astronaut/ would be completely by
/himself/." (2008)^[59] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAtkinson2008-59>
* "Kitchen table issues . . . are ones /the next president/ can
actually do something about if /he/ actually cares about it. More
likely if she cares about it!" Hillary Rodham Clinton (2008)^[60]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTESpillius2008-60>
In other situations, the antecedent may refer to:
* an indeterminate person of either sex:
o "Now, a writer is entitled to have a Roget on /his/
desk."Barzun (1985);^[61] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBarzun1985-61>
quoted in /Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English
Usage/^[19] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734-19>
o "They're going to appoint a new manager. Well I hope /he/ does a
better job than the present one."^[62]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002492-62>
o "A Member of Parliament should always live in /his/

constituency."^[62] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002492-62>
In 2010, we still find the use of generic /he/ recommended:
" . . . when indefinite pronouns are used as antecedents, they
require /singular/ subject, object, and possessive pronouns . . ."
* "/Everyone/ did as /he/ pleased" . . .
"In informal spoken English, plural pronouns are often used with
indefinite pronoun antecedents. However, this construction is
generally not considered appropriate in formal speech or writing.
INFORMAL: /Somebody/ should let you borrow /their/ book.
FORMAL: /Somebody/ should let you borrow /his/ book."
Choy, Basic Grammar and Usage^[63]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChoyClark2010213-63>
In 2015, /Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage/ calls this "the
now outmoded use of /he/ to mean 'anyone'",^[64]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler2015367-64> stating
"From the earliest times until about the 1960s it was unquestionably
acceptable to use the pronoun /he/ (and /him/, /himself/, /his/)
with indefinite reference to denote a person of either sex,
especially after indefinite pronouns and determiners such as
/anybody/, ... /every/, etc., after gender-neutral nouns such as
/person/ ... [but] alternative devices are now usually resorted to.
When a gender-neutral pronoun or determiner ... is needed, the
options usually adopted are the plural forms /they/, /their/,
/themselves/, etc., or /he or she/ (/his or her/, etc.)"
/Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage/^[65]
Trend to gender-neutral language from the 20th century[edit
In the second half of the 20th century, people expressed concern at the
use of sexist and male-oriented language.^[66]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift19951.E2.80.939-66> Such usage included
not only the use of /man/ as a false generic but also the use of /he/ as
a generic pronoun.^[67]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199511.E2.80.9361-67>
It was argued that /he/ could not sensibly be used as a generic pronoun
understood to include men and women. William Safire
</wiki/William_Safire> in his /On Language/ column in /The New York
Times/ approved of the use of generic /he/, mentioning the mnemonic
phrase "the male embraces the female/.^[68]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTESafire198546.E2.80.9347-68> / C. Adendyck from
Brooklyn wrote to the /New York Times </wiki/New_York_Times>/ in a reply:
"The average American needs the small routines of getting ready for
work. As he shaves or blow-dries his hair or pulls on his
panty-hose, he is easing himself by small stages into the demands of
the day."
C. Badendyck [/sic/], New York Times (1985)
^[69] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAdendyck1985-69> as quoted by Miller and
Swift.^[70] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199546.E2.80.9347-70>
By 1980, the movement had gained wide support, and many organizations,
including most publishers, had issued guidelines on the use of
gender-neutral language.^[66]
Use for specific, known people[edit
In some situations, an individual may be known but referred to using the
pronoun /they/ because their gender is unknown or because "they" is
their preferred pronoun;^[71] <#cite_note-71> social media applications,
for example, may permit account holders to select a nonbinary gender
such as "gender fluid </wiki/Gender_fluid>" or "bigender
</wiki/Bigender>" and a pronoun, including /they///them/ which they wish
to be used when referring to them.^[72] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTECNN2014-72>
Contemporary usage[edit
The use of masculine generic nouns and pronouns in written and spoken
language has decreased since the 1960s.^[73]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPauwels2003563-73> In a corpus of spontaneous speech
collected in Australia in the 1990s, singular /they/ had become the most
frequently used generic pronoun.^[73]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPauwels2003563-73> Similarly, a study from 2002
looking at a corpus of American and British newspapers showed a
preference for /they/ to be used (rather than generic /he/ or /he or
she/) as a singular epicene pronoun.^[74]
<#cite_note-Baranowski_Current_Usage_of_They-74> The increased use of
singular /they/ may be at least partly due to an increasing desire for
gender-neutral language </wiki/Gender-neutral_language>. While writers a
hundred years ago might have had no qualm using /he/ with a referent of
indeterminate gender, writers today often feel uncomfortable with this.
One solution in formal writing has often been to write /he or she/, or
something similar, but this is considered awkward when used excessively,
overly politically correct </wiki/Political_correctness>, or both.^[75]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMatossian1997-75> ^[76] <#cite_note-76>
In contemporary usage, singular /they/ is usedat least by someto refer
to an indeterminate antecedent, for instance when the notional gender or
number of the antecedent is indeterminate or the sex (social gender) of
the real-word entity referred to is unknown or unrevealed. Examples
include different types of usage.
Use with a pronoun antecedent[edit
The singular antecedent can be a pronoun such as everybody, someone,
anybody, or an interrogative pronoun such as "who":
* with /everybody/, /everyone/ etc.:

o "/Everybody/ was crouched behind the furniture to surprise me,
and /they/ tried to. But I already knew /they/ were there."
Example given by Garner.^[77] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643-77>
o "/Everyone/ promised to behave /themselves/." Example given by
Huddleston et.al.^[4]
o "/Everyone/ returned to /their/ seats." Example given by
Pinker.^[2] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378-2>
* with /nobody/ or /no one/:
o "/Nobody/ was late, were /they/?" Example given by Swan.^[3]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528-3>
o "/No one/ put /their/ hand up." Example given by Huddleston
et.al.^[78] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum20021458-78>
o "/No one/ felt /they/ had been misled." Example given by
Huddleston et.al.^[4]
* with /somebody/ or /someone/:
o "I feel that if /someone/ is not doing /their/ job it should be
called to /their/ attention."An American newspaper (1984);
quoted by Fowler.^[79] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFowler1996776-79>
* with /anybody/ or /anyone/:
o "If /anyone/ tells you that America's best days are behind her,
then /they'/re looking the wrong way." President George Bush,
1991 State of the Union Address;^[80]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBush1991101-80> quoted by Garner^[81]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175-81>
o "/Anyone/ can set /themselves/ up as an acupuncturist."Sarah
Lonsdale "Sharp Practice Pricks Reputation of Acupuncture."
Observer 15 December 1991, as cited by Garner^[81]
o "If /anybody/ calls, take /their/ name and ask /them/ to call
again later." Example given by Swan^[3]
* even where the gender is known or assumed:
o "Under new rules to be announced tomorrow, it will be illegal
for /anyone/ to donate an organ to /their/ wife." Ballantyne,
"Transplant Jury to Vet Live Donors", /Sunday Times/ (London) 25
3. 1990, as cited by Garner^[81]
* with an interrogative pronoun as antecedent:
o "/Who/ thinks /they/ can solve the problem?". Example given by
Huddleston et.al.; /The Cambridge Grammar of the English
language/.^[82] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum20021473-82>
Use with a generic noun as antecedent[edit
The singular antecedent can also be a noun such as /person/, /patient/,
or /student/:
* with a noun (e.g. person, student, patient) used generically (e.g.
in the sense of any member of that class or a specific member
unknown to the speaker or writer)
o ". . . if /the child/ possesses the nationality or citizenship
of another country, /they/ may lose this when /they/ get a
British passport." From a British passport application form;
quoted by Swan.^[3] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528-3>
o "cognitive dissonance: "a concept in psychology [that] describes
the condition in which /a person's/ attitudes conflict with

/their/ behaviour"./Macmillan Dictionary of Business and
management/ (1988), as cited by Garner.^[81]
o "A starting point would be to give more support to /the company
secretary/. /They/ are, or should be, privy to the confidential
deliberations and secrets of the board and the company. Ronald
Severn. "Protecting the Secretary Bird". Financial Times, 6
January 1992; quoted by Garner.^[81]
with representatives of a class previously referred to in the singular
o "I had to decide: Is /this person/ being irrational or is he
right? Of course, /they/ were often right."Robert Burchfield in
/U.S. News & World Report/ 11 August 1986, as cited in
/Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage/^[19]
Even when referring to a class of persons of known sex, /they/ is
sometimes used.^[83] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTENewman1998-83>
o "I swear more when I'm talking to /a boy/, because I'm not
afraid of shocking /them/". From an interview.^[3]
o "/No mother/ should be forced to testify against /their/ child/"./
/They/ may also be used with antecedents of mixed genders:
o "Let me know if /your father or your mother/ changes /their/
mind." Example given by Huddleston et al.^[4]
o "Either /the husband or the wife/ has perjured /themself/." Here
/themself/ might be acceptable to some, /themselves/ seems less
acceptable, and /himself/ is unacceptable. Example given by
Huddleston et al.^[4]
Even for a definite known person of known sex, /they/ may be used in
order to ignore or conceal the sex.
o "I had /a friend/ in Paris, and /they/ had to go to hospital for
a month." (definite person, not identified)^[3]
The word /themself/ is also sometimes used:
o "/Someone/ has apparently locked /themself/ in the
office."[acceptability questionable]^[4]
Acceptability and prescriptive guidance[edit
Though both generic /he/ and generic /they/ have long histories of use,
and both are still used, both are also systematically avoided by
particular groups.^[84] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChicago2010.C2.A75.222-84>
Style guides that avoid expressing a preference for either approach
sometimes recommend recasting a problem sentence, for instance replacing
generic expressions with plurals to avoid the criticisms of either party.
The use of singular /they/ may be more accepted in British English than
in American English,^[85] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003718-85> or vice
versa.^[1] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770-1>
Usage guidance in BritishAmerican style guides[edit
/*The Handbook of Non-Sexist Writing*/ by Casey Miller and Kate Swift

was first published in the United States but, because of differences in
culture and vocabulary, separate British editions have since been
published. These authors accept or recommend singular uses of /they/ not
just in cases where there is an element of semantic plurality expressed
by a word such as "everyone" but also where an indeterminate /person/ is
referred to, citing examples of such usage even in formal speech. For
instance, they quote Ronald Reagan:
* "You must identify /the person/ who has the power to hire you and
show /them/ how your skills can help /them/ with /their/
problems."^[86] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199550-86>
In addition to use of singular /they/, they and others also suggest
a number of ways to avoid "the pronoun problem" in gender-neutral
writing. One strategy is to rewrite the sentence to use a plural /they/.
For instance, in a newspaper story
* "Each candidate [two men and six women] had to write a description
of himself . . ."
could have been changed to
* "The candidates had to write a description of themselves . .
.".^[87] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199553-87>
Another strategy is to eliminate the pronoun; so
* "A handicapped child may be able to feed and dress himself."
becomes
* "A handicapped child may be able to eat and get dressed without
help."^[88] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199555-88>
Other methods of avoiding gender preference include recasting a sentence
to use "one", or (for babies) "it".^[89]
Usage guidance in American style guides[edit
/*Garner's Modern American Usage
</wiki/Garner%27s_Modern_American_Usage>*/ (2003) recommends cautious
use of singular /they/, and avoidance where possible because its use is
stigmatized.
* "Where nounpronoun disagreement can be avoided, avoid it. Where it
can't be avoided, resort to it cautiously because some people will
doubt your literacy . . .".^[90] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003174-90>
Garner suggests that use of singular /they/ is more acceptable in
British English:
* "Speakers of AmE resist this development more than speakers of BrE,
in which the indeterminate /they/ is already more or less
standard."^[85] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003718-85>
and apparently regrets the resistance by the American language community:
* "That it sets many literate Americans' teeth on edge is an

unfortunate obstacle to what promises to be the ultimate solution to
the problem."^[85] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003718-85>
He regards the trend toward using singular /they/ with antecedents like
/everybody/, /anyone/ and /somebody/ as inevitable:
* "Disturbing though these developments may be to purists, they're
irreversible. And nothing that a grammarian says will change
them."^[6] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643.E2.80.93644-6>
In the 14th edition (1993) of /*The Chicago Manual of Style
</wiki/The_Chicago_Manual_of_Style>*/, the University of Chicago Press
explicitly recommended use of singular use of /they/ and /their/, noting
a "revival" of this usage and citing "its venerable use by such writers
as Addison, Austen, Chesterfield, Fielding, Ruskin, Scott, and
Shakespeare."^[91] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChicago199376.E2.80.9377-91> From
the 15th edition, this was changed. In Chapter 5 of the 16th edition,
now written by Bryan A. Garner, the recommendations are:
"*The singular /they/*. A singular antecedent requires a singular
referent pronoun. Because /he/ is no longer accepted as a generic
pronoun referring to a person of either sex, it has become common in
speech and in informal writing to substitute the third-person plural
pronouns /they/, /them/, /their/, and /themselves/, and the
nonstandard singular /themself/. While this usage is accepted in
casual context, it is still considered ungrammatical in formal
writing."^[92] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChicago2010.C2.A75.46-92>
and
"*Gender bias*. . . . On the one hand, it is unacceptable to a great
many reasonable readers to use the generic masculine pronoun (/he/
in reference to no one in particular). On the other hand, it is
unacceptable to a great many readers (often different readers)
either to resort to non-traditional gimmicks to avoid the generic
masculine (by using /he/she/ or /s/he/, for example) or to use
/they/ as a kind of singular pronoun. Either way, credibility is
lost with some readers."^[84]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChicago2010.C2.A75.222-84>
According to /*The American Heritage Book of English Usage*/, many
Americans avoid use of /they/ to refer to a singular antecedent out of
respect for a "traditional" grammatical rule, despite use of singular
/they/ by modern writers of note and mainstream publications:
* "Most of the Usage Panel rejects the use of /they/ with singular
antecedents as ungrammatical, even in informal speech.
Eighty-two percent find the sentence /The typical student in the
program takes about six years to complete their course work/
unacceptable. . . . panel members seem to make a distinction
between singular nouns, such as /the typical student/ and /a
person/, and pronouns that are grammatically singular but
semantically plural, such as /anyone/, /everyone/ and /no one/.
Sixty-four percent of panel members accept the sentence /No one
is willing to work for those wages anymore, are they?/"^[93]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAmerican_Heritage_Dictionaries1996178.E2.80.93179-93
>
The /*Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association*/

explicitly reject the use of singular /they/ and gives the following
example as "incorrect" usage:
* "/Neither/ the highest scorer nor the lowest scorer in the group had
any doubt about /their/ competence."
while also specifically taking the position that generic /he/ is
unacceptable. The APA recommends using /he or she/, recasting the
sentence with a plural subject to allow correct use of /they/, or simply
rewriting the sentence to avoid issues with gender or number.^[94]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAPA200147-94>
Strunk & White, the authors of /*The Elements of Style
</wiki/The_Elements_of_Style>*/ find use of /they/ with a singular
antecedent unacceptable:
"*They.* Not to be used when the antecedent is a distributive
expression, such as /each/, /each one/. /everybody/, /every one/,
/many a man/. Use the singular pronoun. [. . . ] A similar fault is
the use of the plural pronoun with the antecedent /anybody/,
/anyone/, /somebody/, /someone/ [. . . ] The use of /he/ as pronoun
for nouns embracing both genders is a simple, practical convention
rooted in the beginnings of the English language. "
Their assessment, in 1979, was
"/He/ has lost all suggestion of maleness in these circumstances. [.
. .] It has no pejorative connotation; it is never incorrect."^[95]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStrunkWhite197960-95>
*Joseph M. Williams </wiki/Joseph_M._Williams>*, who wrote a number of
books on writing with "clarity and grace
</wiki/Style:_Lessons_in_Clarity_and_Grace>", discusses the advantages
and disadvantages of various solutions when faced with the problem of
referring to an antecedent such as /someone/, /everyone/, /no one/ or a
noun that does not indicate gender and suggests that this will continue
to be a problem for some time. He "suspect[s] that eventually we will
accept the plural /they/ as a correct singular" but states that
currently "formal usage requires a singular pronoun".^[96]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilliams200823.E2.80.9325-96>
According to /*The Little, Brown Handbook*/, most expertsand some
teachers and employersfind use of singular /they/ unacceptable:
"Although some experts accept /they/, /them/, and /their/ with
singular indefinite words, most do not, and many teachers and
employers regard the plural as incorrect. To be safe, work for
agreement between singular indefinite words and the pronouns that
refer to them [. . . ]"
It recommends using /he or she/ or avoiding the problem by rewriting the
sentence to use a plural or omit the pronoun.^[97]
The /*Purdue Online Writing Lab*/ (OWL) maintains that singular /they/
is incorrect:
"Remember: the words /everybody/, /anybody/, /anyone/, /each/,
/neither/, /nobody/, /someone/, /a person/, etc. are singular and

take singular pronouns."^[98] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPurdue_OWL-98>
Usage guidance in British style guides[edit
In the first edition of /*A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
</wiki/A_Dictionary_of_Modern_English_Usage>*/ (published in 1926) it is
stated that singular /they/ is disapproved of by grammarians and should
be avoided in favour of the generic /he/. Examples of its use by eminent
writers are given, but it is suggested that "few good modern writers
would flout [grammarians] so conspicuously as Fielding and Thackeray",
whose sentences are described as having an "old-fashioned sound".^[26]
In the second edition of Fowler's, /*Fowler's Modern English Usage
</wiki/A_Dictionary_of_Modern_English_Usage>*/ (edited by Sir Ernest
Gowers </wiki/Ernest_Gowers> and published in 1965), it is stated that
singular /they/ is disapproved of by grammarians and, while common in
colloquial speech, should preferably be avoided in favour of the generic
/he/ in prose. Numerous examples of its use by eminent writers are
given, but it is still suggested that "few good modern writers would
flout [grammarians] so conspicuously as Fielding and Thackeray".^[99]
According to the third edition of Fowler's (/*The New Fowler's Modern
English Usage </wiki/A_Dictionary_of_Modern_English_Usage>*/, edited by
Burchfield and published in 1996) singular /they/ has not only been
widely used by good writers for centuries, but is now generally
accepted, except by some conservative grammarians, including the Fowler
of 1926, who ignored the evidence:
"Over the centuries, writers of standing have used /they/, /their/,
and /them/ with anaphoric reference to a singular noun or pronoun,
and the practice has continued in the 20C. to the point that,
traditional grammarians aside, such constructions are hardly noticed
any more or are not widely felt to lie in a prohibited zone. Fowler
(1926) disliked the practice [. . .] and gave a number of
unattributed 'faulty' examples [. . . ] The evidence presented in
the /OED/ points in another direction altogether."^[23]
/*The Complete Plain Words </wiki/The_Complete_Plain_Words>*/ was
originally written in 1948 by Sir Ernest Gowers, a civil servant, in an
attempt by the British civil service to improve "official English". A
second edition, edited by Sir Bruce Fraser, was published in 1973. It
refers to /they/ or /them/ as the "equivalent of a singular pronoun of
common sex" as "common in speech and not unknown in serious writing "
but "stigmatized by grammarians as usage grammatically indefensible. The
book's advice for "official writers" (civil servants) is to avoid its
use and not to be tempted by its "greater convenience", though
"necessity may eventually force it into the category of accepted
idiom".^[100] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGowers1973140-100>
A new edition of /*Plain Words </wiki/Plain_Words>*/, revised and
updated by Sir Ernest Gowers' great granddaughter, Rebecca Gowers, was
published in 2014. It notes that singular /they/ and /them/ have become
much more widespread since Gowers' original comments, but still finds it
"safer" to treat a sentence like 'The reader may toss their book aside'
as incorrect "in formal English", while rejecting even more strongly

sentences like
* "There must be opportunity for the individual boy or girl to go as
far as his keennness and ability will take him."^[101]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGowers2014210.E2.80.93213-101>
/*The Times </wiki/The_Times> Style and Usage Guide*/ (first published
in 2003 by /The Times/ of London) recommends avoiding sentences like
* "If someone loves animals, they should protect them."
by using a plural construction:
* "If people love animals, they should protect them."
/*The Cambridge Guide to English Usage
</wiki/The_Cambridge_Guide_to_English_Usage>*" (2004) finds singular/
they /"unremarkable":/
"For those listening or reading, it has become unremarkablean
element of common usage.^[102] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeters2004538-102>
It expresses several preferences.
* "Generic/universal /their/ provides a gender-free pronoun, avoiding
the exclusive /his/ and the clumsy /his/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 . . ."^[102]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeters2004538-102>
/*The Economist </wiki/The_Economist> Style Guide*/ refers to the use of
/they/ in sentences like
* "We can't afford to squander anyone's talents, whatever colour their
skin is."
as "scrambled syntax that people adopt because they cannot bring
themselves to use a singular pronoun".^[103]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEconomist2010117-103>
/*The New Hart's Rules </wiki/New_Hart%27s_Rules>*/ is aimed at those
engaged in copy editing, and the emphasis is on the formal elements of
presentation including punctuation and typeface, rather than on
linguistic style butlike /The Chicago Manual of Style/makes occasional
forays into matters of usage. It advises against use of the purportedly
gender-neutral /he/, and suggests cautious use of /they/ where /he or
she/ presents problems.
". . . it is now regarded. . . as old-fashioned or sexist to use
/he/ in reference to a person of unspecified sex, as in /every child
needs to know that he is loved./ The alternative /he or she/ is
often preferred, and in formal contexts probably the best solution,
but can become tiresome or long-winded when used frequently. Use of
/they/ in this sense (/everyone needs to feel that they matter/) is
becoming generally accepted both in speech and in writing,
especially where it occurs after an indefinite pronoun such as
/everyone/ or /someone/, but should not be imposed by an editor if

an author has used /he or she/ consistently."^[104]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOUP201227-104>
The 2011 edition of the /*New International Version
</wiki/New_International_Version> Bible </wiki/Bible>*/ uses singular
/they/ instead of the traditional /he/ when translating pronouns that
apply to both genders in the original Greek or Hebrew. This decision was
based on research by a commission that studied modern English usage and
determined that singular /they/ (/them///their/) was by far the most
common way that English-language speakers and writers today refer back
to singular antecedents such as /whoever/, /anyone/, /somebody/, /a
person/, /no one/, and the like."^[105]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWashington_Post2011-105>
Australian usage guidance[edit
The Australian /*Federation Press Style Guide for use in preparation of
book manuscripts*/ recommends "Gender-neutral language should be used",
stating that use of /they/ and /their/ as singular pronouns is
acceptable.^[106] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFederation_Press2014-106>
Usage guidance in English grammars[edit
According to /*A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language
</wiki/A_Comprehensive_Grammar_of_the_English_Language>*/ (1985):
"The pronoun /they/ is commonly used as a 3rd person singular
pronoun that is neutral between masculine and feminine. . . . At one
time restricted to informal usage. it is now increasingly accepted
in formal usage, especially in [American English].^[1]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770-1>
/*The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
</wiki/The_Cambridge_Grammar_of_the_English_Language>*/ discusses the
prescriptivist argument that /they/ is a plural pronoun and that the use
of /they/ with a singular "antecedent" therefore violates the rule of
agreement between antecedent and pronoun, but takes the view that
/they/, though /primarily/ plural, can also be singular in a secondary
/extended/ sense, comparable to the purportedly extended sense of /he/
to include female gender.^[8]
Use of singular /they/ is stated to be "particularly common", even
"stylistically neutral" with antecedents such as /everyone/, /someone/,
and /no one/, but more restricted when referring to common nouns as
antecedents, as in
* "/The patient/ should be told at the outset how much /they/ will be
required to pay."^[4] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493-4>
* "/A friend of mine/ has asked me to go over and help /them/ . .
."^[8] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002494-8>
Use of the pronoun /themself/ is described as being "rare" and
"acceptable only to a minority of speakers", while use of the
morphologically plural /themselves/ is considered problematic when
referring to /someone/ rather that /everyone/ (since only the latter

implies a plural set).^[8] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002494-8>
There are also issues of grammatical acceptability when reflexive
pronouns refer to singular noun phrases joined by /or/, the following
all being problematic:
* "Either the husband or the wife has perjured /himself/." [ungrammatical]
* "Either the husband or the wife has perjured /themselves/." [of
questionable grammaticality]
* "Either the husband or the wife has perjured /themself/." [typically
used by only some speakers of Standard English].^[8]
On the motivation for using singular /they/, /*A Student's Introduction
to English Grammar*/ states
"this avoidance of /he/ can't be dismissed just as a matter of
political correctness. The real problem with using /he/ is that it
unquestionably colours the interpretation, sometimes
inappropriately. . . /he/ doesn't have a genuinely sex-neutral
sense".^[9] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104-9>
The alternative /he or she/ can be "far too cumbersome", as in
* "/Everyone/ agreed that he or she would bring his or her lunch with
/him or her/.
or even "flatly ungrammatical", as in
* "/Everyone's here, isn't/ he or she/?^[9]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104-9> /
"Among younger speakers", use of singular /they/ even with definite
noun-phrase antecedents finds increasing acceptance, "sidestepping any
presumption about the sex of the person referred to", as in
* "You should ask /your partner/ what /they/ think."
* "/The person/ I was with said /they/ hated the film." Example given
by Huddleston et al.^[9] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104-9>
Grammatical and logical analysis[edit
Steven Pinker </wiki/Steven_Pinker> suggests that "singular" /they/ and
plural /they/ can be regarded as a pair of homonyms </wiki/Homonym>
two words with different meanings but the same spelling and sound.^[107]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPinker1995370.E2.80.93403-107> However, this
analysis is not extended to /you/, another originally plural pronoun
that has come to have singular use.
Distribution[edit
Distributive constructions apply a /single/ idea to /multiple/ members
of a group. They are typically marked in English by words like /each/,
/every/ and /any/. The simplest examples are applied to groups of two,
and use words like /either/ and /or/"Would you like tea or coffee?".
Since distributive constructions apply an idea relevant to each

individual in the group, rather than to the group as a whole, they are
most often conceived of as singular, and a singular pronoun is used.
* "England expects that every man will do his duty
</wiki/England_expects_that_every_man_will_do_his_duty>."Nelson
</wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson> (1806, referring to a
fleet crewed by male sailors)
* "Every dog hath his day." John Ray </wiki/John_Ray> /A Collection
of English Proverbs/ (1670), originally from Plutarch
</wiki/Plutarch>, /Moralia/, c. 95 AD, regarding the death of
Euripides </wiki/Euripides>.
However, many languages, including English, show ambivalence in this
regard. Because distribution also requires a group with more than one
member, plural forms are sometimes used.^[a] <#cite_note-109>
Referential and non-referential anaphors[edit
According to the traditional analysis </wiki/Traditional_grammar>,
English personal pronouns </wiki/English_personal_pronouns> (e.g. /his/,
/her/, /their/) are typically used to refer backward (or forward) within
a sentence to a noun phrase </wiki/Noun_phrase> (which may be a simple
noun </wiki/Noun>). This reference is called an /anaphoric/ reference,
and the referring pronoun is termed an /anaphor
</wiki/Anaphora_(linguistics)>/.^[b] <#cite_note-110> ^[109]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum20021455.E2.80.931456-111>
The so-called singular /they/ is morphologically plural, and is
accompanied by a plural verb. However, it is often used in circumstances
where an indeterminate antecedent is signified by an indefinite singular
antecedent; for example,
* "The /person/ you mentioned, are /they/ coming?"
In some sentences, typically those including words like /every/ or
/any/, the morphologically singular antecedent does not refer to a
single entity but is "anaphorically linked" to the associated pronoun to
indicate a set of pairwise relationships, as in the sentence:^[109]
* "/Everyone/ returned to /their/ seats." (where each person is
associated with one seat)
One explanation given for the use of /they/ to refer to a singular
antecedent is /notional agreement/, when the antecedent is seen as
semantically plural, as in the Shaw quotation
* "/No man/ goes to battle to be killed." . . . "But /they/ do get
killed. [/Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English
Usage/]^[21] <#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735-21>
In other words, in the Shaw quotation /no man/ is syntactically
singular, demonstrated by taking the singular form /goes/; however, it
is semantically plural (/all/ go [to kill] not to be killed), hence
idiomatically requiring /they/.^[110]
Linguists like Pinker and Huddleston </wiki/Rodney_Huddleston> explain

sentences like this (and others) in terms of bound variables
</wiki/Bound_variable_pronoun>, a term borrowed from logic
</wiki/Logic>. Pinker prefers the terms /quantifier/ and /bound
variable/ to /antecedent/ and /pronoun/.^[2]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378-2>
The word /reference/ is traditionally used in two different senses:
1. the relationship between an anaphor (e.g. a pronoun) and its antecedent;
2. the relationship between a noun phrase and the real-world entity
(the /referen/).^[109]
With a morphologically singular antecedent, there are a number of
possibilities, including the following:^[109]
* coreferential, with a definite antecedent (the antecedent and the
anaphoric pronoun both refer to the same real-world entity):
o "Your /wife/ phoned but /she/ didn't leave a message."
* coreferential with an indefinite antecedent:
o "One of your /girlfriends/ phoned, but /she/ didn't leave a
message."
o "One of your /boyfriends/ phoned, but /he/ didn't leave a message.
o "One of your /friends/ phoned, but /they/ didn't leave a message."
* reference to a hypothetical, indefinite entity
o "If you had an unemployed /daughter/, what would you think if
/she/ wanted to accept work as a pole dancer?"
o "If you had an unemployed /child/, what would you think if
/they/ wanted to accept work as a mercenary or a pole dancer?"
* a bound variable pronoun is anaphorically linked to a quantifier (no
single real-world or hypothetical entity is referenced):
o "/Nobody/ knew where /they/ were."
o "/Every woman/ present sat with /their/ heads held high."
Cognitive efficiency[edit
In the light of increasing use of the plural pronoun /they/ to refer to
morphologically singular antecedents, there have been a few studies that
have attempted to determine whether such usage is more "difficult" to
understand. One such study, "In Search of Gender Neutrality: Is Singular
/They/ a Cognitively Efficient Substitute for Generic /He/?" by Foertsch
and Gernsbacher found that "singular /they/ is a cognitively efficient
substitute for generic /he/ or /she/, particularly when the antecedent
is nonreferential" (e.g. /anybody/ or /a nurse/) rather than referring
to a specific person (e.g. /a runner I knew/ or /my nurse/). Clauses
with singular /they/ were read "just as quickly as clauses containing a
gendered pronoun that matched the stereotype of the antecedent" (e.g.
/she/ for a nurse and /he/ for a truck driver) and "much more quickly
than clauses containing a gendered pronoun that went against the gender
stereotype of the antecedent".^[111]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFoertschGernsbacher1997-113>
Comparison with other pronouns[edit
The singular and plural use of /they/ can be compared with the pronoun
/you/, which originally was only plural, but by about 1700 replaced
/thou/ for singular referents,^[102]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeters2004538-102> while retaining the plural verb form.
See also[edit </w/index.php?title=Singular_they&action=edit&section=22>]
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Agreement (linguistics) </wiki/Agreement_(linguistics)>

Bound variable pronoun </wiki/Bound_variable_pronoun>
English personal pronouns </wiki/English_personal_pronouns>
Gender neutrality in English </wiki/Gender_neutrality_in_English>
Gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns
Genderqueer </wiki/Genderqueer>
Notional agreement </wiki/Notional_agreement>
Spivak pronoun </wiki/Spivak_pronoun>
They </wiki/They>
Notes[edit </w/index.php?title=Singular_they&action=edit&section=23>]
1. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-109>* "Either the plural or the singular may

be acceptable for a true bound pronoun. . . .": "/Every student/
thinks /she/ / /they/ is / are smart."^[108]
<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHuang2009144-108>
2. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-110>* The more usual case, where the pronoun
follows the antecedent, it is called a retrospective anaphor. The
less usual case, where the pronoun precedes the antecedent (as in
the sentence "When he saw the damage, the headmaster called the
police.") [example from cited source] is called an /anticipatory
anaphor/. Some writers use the term /anaphor/ only for retrospective
anaphors and use the term /cataphor/ for anticipatory anaphors. The
word /endophor/ may also be used for both.
References[edit
1. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770_1-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770_1-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985770_1-2> Quirk et
al. 1985 <#CITEREFQuirkGreenbaumLeechSvartvik1985>, p. 770.
2. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378_2-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378_2-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPinker1995378_2-2> Pinker 1995
<#CITEREFPinker1995>, p. 378.
3. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-0>
^/*b*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-3> ^/*e*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-4> ^/*f*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESwan2009.C2.A7528_3-5> Swan 2009
<#CITEREFSwan2009>, 528.
4. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-0>
^/*b*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-3> ^/*e*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-4> ^/*f*/
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-5> ^/*g*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-6> ^/*h*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-7> ^/*i*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493_4-8> Huddleston & Pullum
2002 <#CITEREFHuddlestonPullum2002>, p. 493.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003717_5-0>* Garner 2003
<#CITEREFGarner2003>, p. 717.
^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643.E2.80.93644_6-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643.E2.80.93644_6-1> Garner 2003
<#CITEREFGarner2003>, pp. 643644.
*Jump up ^
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734.E2.80.93736_7-0>*
Merriam-Webster 2002 <#CITEREFMerriam-Webster2002>, pp. 734736.
^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002494_8-0>
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002494_8-3> ^/*e*/
^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104_9-0>
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2005104_9-3> , Huddleston &
Pullum 2005 <#CITEREFHuddlestonPullum2005>, p. 104.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler1996777_10-0>* Fowler 1996
<#CITEREFFowler1996>, p. 777.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHislop198423_11-0>* Hislop 1984
<#CITEREFHislop1984>, p. 23.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler1996776.2C_themself_12-0>*
Fowler 1996 <#CITEREFFowler1996>, p. 776, themself.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECanadian_government201318_13-0>*
Canadian government 2013 <#CITEREFCanadian_government2013>, p. 18.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECanadian_government201448_14-0>*
Canadian government 2014 <#CITEREFCanadian_government2014>, p. 48.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler2015814_15-0>* Fowler 2015
*Jump up ^
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002493.E2.80.93494_16-0>*
Huddleston & Pullum 2002 <#CITEREFHuddlestonPullum2002>, pp. 493494.
*Jump up ^
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAmerican_Heritage_Dictionaries1996178_17-0>*
American Heritage Dictionaries 1996
<#CITEREFAmerican_Heritage_Dictionaries1996>, p. 178.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChaucer1395195_18-0>* Chaucer 1395
<#CITEREFChaucer1395>, p. 195.
^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734_19-0>
^/*b*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734_19-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734_19-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734_19-3> ^/*e*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002734_19-4> Merriam-Webster 2002
<#CITEREFMerriam-Webster2002>, p. 734.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEShakespeare1599105_20-0>* Shakespeare
1599 <#CITEREFShakespeare1599>, p. 105.
^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735_21-0>
^/*b*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735_21-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735_21-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002735_21-3> Merriam-Webster 2002
<#CITEREFMerriam-Webster2002>, p. 735.
*Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChesterfield1759568_22-0>*
Chesterfield 1759 <#CITEREFChesterfield1759>, p. 568.

23. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler1996779_23-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler1996779_23-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler1996779_23-2> Fowler 1996
24. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERuskin186644_24-0>* Ruskin 1866
<#CITEREFRuskin1866>, p. 44.
25. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBagehot1910_25-0>* Bagehot 1910
<#CITEREFBagehot1910>.
27. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAusten181437_27-0>* Austen 1814
<#CITEREFAusten1814>, p. 37.
28. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEShaw190167_28-0>* Shaw 1901
<#CITEREFShaw1901>, p. 67.
29. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThackeray186866_29-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThackeray186866_29-1> Thackeray 1868
<#CITEREFThackeray1868>, p. 66.
31. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuxley1868_31-0>* Huxley 1868
<#CITEREFHuxley1868>.
32. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7409_32-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7409_32-1> Baskervill 1895
<#CITEREFBaskervill1895>, 409.
33. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECable1879_33-0>* Cable 1879
<#CITEREFCable1879>.
34. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEUNO_1948_34-0>* UNO 1948
<#CITEREFUNO_1948>.
35. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECurzan200377_35-0>* Curzan 2003
<#CITEREFCurzan2003>, p. 77.
36. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThackeray1869189_36-0>* Thackeray 1869
<#CITEREFThackeray1869>, p. 189.
37. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
38. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECaxton148939_38-0>* Caxton 1489
<#CITEREFCaxton1489>, p. 39.
39. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECaxton148311_39-0>* Caxton 1483
<#CITEREFCaxton1483>, p. 11.
40. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBodine1975133_40-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBodine1975133_40-1> Bodine 1975
<#CITEREFBodine1975>, p. 133.
41. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFisher1750_41-0>* Fisher 1750
<#CITEREFFisher1750>.
42. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOstade2000_42-0>* Ostade 2000
<#CITEREFOstade2000>.
43. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7411_43-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7411_43-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBaskervill1895.C2.A7411_43-3> ^/*e*/
44. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEByron1823vi_44-0>* Byron 1823
<#CITEREFByron1823>, p. vi.
45. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAusten1814195_45-0>* Austen 1814

<#CITEREFAusten1814>, p. 195.
46. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDefoe1816200_46-0>* Defoe 1816
<#CITEREFDefoe1816>, p. 200.
47. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPaley1825200_47-0>* Paley 1825
<#CITEREFPaley1825>, p. 200.
48. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199546_48-0>* Miller &
Swift 1995 <#CITEREFMillerSwift1995>, p. 46.
49. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWarenda1993101_49-0>* Warenda 1993
<#CITEREFWarenda1993>, p. 101.
50. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWilson1560167_50-0>* Wilson 1560
<#CITEREFWilson1560>, p. 167.
51. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWilson1560208_51-0>* Wilson 1560
<#CITEREFWilson1560>, p. 208.
52. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPoole164621_52-0>* Poole 1646
<#CITEREFPoole1646>, p. 21.
53. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBodine1975134_53-0>* Bodine 1975
54. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELeonard1929225_54-0>* Leonard 1929
<#CITEREFLeonard1929>, p. 225.
55. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBodine1975131_55-0>* Bodine 1975
56. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFries1969215_56-0>* Fries 1969
<#CITEREFFries1969>, p. 215.
57. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELash1981454_57-0>* Lash 1981
<#CITEREFLash1981>, p. 454.
58. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWeissKaplanFair2004147_58-0>* Weiss,
Kaplan & Fair 2004 <#CITEREFWeissKaplanFair2004>, p. 147.
59. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAtkinson2008_59-0>* Atkinson 2008
<#CITEREFAtkinson2008>.
60. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESpillius2008_60-0>* Spillius 2008
<#CITEREFSpillius2008>.
61. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBarzun1985_61-0>* Barzun 1985
<#CITEREFBarzun1985>.
62. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum2002492_62-0> ^/*b*/
63. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChoyClark2010213_63-0>* Choy & Clark
2010 <#CITEREFChoyClark2010>, p. 213.
64. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFowler2015367_64-0>* Fowler 2015
66. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift19951.E2.80.939_66-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift19951.E2.80.939_66-1> Miller & Swift
1995 <#CITEREFMillerSwift1995>, pp. 19.
67. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMillerSwift199511.E2.80.9361_67-0>*
Miller & Swift 1995 <#CITEREFMillerSwift1995>, pp. 1161.
68. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESafire198546.E2.80.9347_68-0>* Safire
1985 <#CITEREFSafire1985>, pp. 4647.
69. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAdendyck1985_69-0>* Adendyck 1985
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71. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-71>* Teich, Nicholas M. (2012). /Transgender
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73. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPauwels2003563_73-0> ^/*b*/
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74. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-Baranowski_Current_Usage_of_They_74-0>*
Baranowski, Maciej (2002). "Current usage of the epicene pronoun in
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75. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMatossian1997_75-0>* Matossian 1997
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76. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-76>* Balhorn, Mark (2009). "The epicene
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77. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003643_77-0>* Garner 2003
78. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum20021458_78-0>*
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80. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBush1991101_80-0>* Bush 1991
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81. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175_81-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175_81-1> ^/*c*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175_81-2> ^/*d*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175_81-3> ^/*e*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003175_81-4> Garner 2003
82. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuddlestonPullum20021473_82-0>*
Huddleston & Pullum 2002 <#CITEREFHuddlestonPullum2002>, p. 1473.
83. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENewman1998_83-0>* Newman 1998
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84. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChicago2010.C2.A75.222_84-0>
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85. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003718_85-0> ^/*b*/
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90. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarner2003174_90-0>* Garner 2003
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95. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEStrunkWhite197960_95-0>* Strunk &
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96. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWilliams200823.E2.80.9325_96-0>*
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98. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPurdue_OWL_98-0>* Purdue OWL
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100. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGowers1973140_100-0>* Gowers 1973
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101. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGowers2014210.E2.80.93213_101-0>*
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102. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeters2004538_102-0> ^/*b*/
<#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeters2004538_102-1> ^/*c*/
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103. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEconomist2010117_103-0>* Economist
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104. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEOUP201227_104-0>* OUP 2012
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107. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPinker1995370.E2.80.93403_107-0>*
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108. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHuang2009144_108-0>* Huang 2009
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109. ^ Jump up to: ^/*a*/
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^/*d*/
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110. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMerriam-Webster2002736_112-0>*
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111. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFoertschGernsbacher1997_113-0>*
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External links[edit
* "Anyone who had a heart (would know their own language)
<http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/linguafranca/anyone-who-had-aheart-would-know-their-own/3343308#transcript>"
by Geoff Pullum. Transcript of a radio talk.
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Singular /they/

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inflected forms of third-person personal pronouns

Chaucer, /The Pardoner's Prologue/ (c. 1395);^[18]

implies both genders/. The masculine does not really represent a

<#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPoole164621-52> cited by Bodine^[53]

o "A Member of Parliament should always live in /his/

* with /everybody/, /everyone/ etc.:

the condition in which /a person's/ attitudes conflict with

/*The Handbook of Non-Sexist Writing*/ by Casey Miller and Kate Swift

* "That it sets many literate Americans' teeth on edge is an

The /*Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association*/

/neither/, /nobody/, /someone/, /a person/, etc. are singular and

as incorrect "in formal English", while rejecting even more strongly

/everyone/ or /someone/, but should not be imposed by an editor if

referring to /someone/ rather that /everyone/ (since only the latter

Since distributive constructions apply an idea relevant to each

Linguists like Pinker and Huddleston </wiki/Rodney_Huddleston> explain

Agreement (linguistics) </wiki/Agreement_(linguistics)>

1. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-109>* "Either the plural or the singular may

Chesterfield 1759 <#CITEREFChesterfield1759>, p. 568.

45. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAusten1814195_45-0>* Austen 1814

94. *Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAPA200147_94-0>* APA 2001

Magazine/ (Liberal Publication Department (Great Britain), published

Education/. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN

Harcourt. 1996. ISBN

* Fowler, H.W.; Crystal, David (2009) [1926]. /A Dictionary of Modern

Pennsylvania Press. Retrieved 10 June 2006.

<http://wac.colostate.edu/journal/vol4/warenda.pdf> (pdf). /The WAC

Spivak pronouns </wiki/Spivak_pronoun>

* Modern English personal pronouns

Main page </wiki/Main_Page>

What links here </wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Singular_they>

Edit links <//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3437264#sitelinks-wikipedia>

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S-ar putea să vă placă și

/The Handbook of Non-Sexist Writing/ by Casey Miller and Kate Swift

The /Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association/

1. Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-109> "Either the plural or the singular may

45. Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAusten1814195_45-0> Austen 1814

94. Jump up ^ <#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAPA200147_94-0> APA 2001