tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4211773395857840723.post4124311706915723759..comments2023-05-13T06:25:38.107-08:00Comments on Our Third Thirds: Stealth De-clutteringCloudyinAKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354513104617596508noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4211773395857840723.post-1869248896244473232017-02-19T21:42:55.661-09:002017-02-19T21:42:55.661-09:00"They" worked fine in your paragraph. I ..."They" worked fine in your paragraph. I use it, too. My problem with it as indefinite gender, singular is when one uses it with ear-trained, verb-number agreement. Then it sounds like this: "They is coming to dinner". <br /><br />Ouch. Kinna loch, whi hav grammerr et aal? [Well, why have agreed spelling?] Yeah, we have conventions. Like walking to the right in Anchorage; they don't do that in London -- and no, they don't walk to the left either -- they walk wherever. Point is, you doesn't notice a convention until you're somewhere it just aren't.<br /><br />So we (try to) write globally (within taught language's conventions), even as people talk locally. I'm willing to find that new, non-gender single-person pronoun. Where shall we start?Jacob Dugan-Brausehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287631724339961459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4211773395857840723.post-9167023224803279212017-02-15T07:16:07.581-09:002017-02-15T07:16:07.581-09:00You need younger friends, who are still collecting...You need younger friends, who are still collecting.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10498066938213558757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4211773395857840723.post-13513363177791609582017-02-14T08:47:51.834-09:002017-02-14T08:47:51.834-09:00Busted!Busted!The Noodlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00931727195407264781noreply@blogger.com