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Is it correct to use “their” when referring to a single person when the gender is known?
When is it correct to use “yourself” and “myself” (versus “you” and “me”)?“I and Jane” or “me and Jane”?When referring to “one”, use “his” or “their”?Do you use the masculine or feminine with “victim”?Should even a large number be spelled out when used as a pronoun?Do intensive pronouns ever convey new information?Style of grammar in which one does not refer directly to people?“You're a louse!” “I?” (Personal Pronouns vs Objective Personal Pronouns)A particular occasion for the use of objective forms of personal pronounsWhen can two pronouns being compared in a sentence be of different types?
I have come accross this sentence:
There is a 2.5% probability that whenever we measure a woman, their height will be less than 142 centimeters.
Is the use of their correct here? Shouldn't it be rather her?
pronouns personal-pronouns
add a comment |
I have come accross this sentence:
There is a 2.5% probability that whenever we measure a woman, their height will be less than 142 centimeters.
Is the use of their correct here? Shouldn't it be rather her?
pronouns personal-pronouns
add a comment |
I have come accross this sentence:
There is a 2.5% probability that whenever we measure a woman, their height will be less than 142 centimeters.
Is the use of their correct here? Shouldn't it be rather her?
pronouns personal-pronouns
I have come accross this sentence:
There is a 2.5% probability that whenever we measure a woman, their height will be less than 142 centimeters.
Is the use of their correct here? Shouldn't it be rather her?
pronouns personal-pronouns
pronouns personal-pronouns
asked 2 hours ago
AemiliusAemilius
1183
1183
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3 Answers
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"Correct" is a social judgment, not a linguistic one.
The OED has examples of singular their going back to 1382, but there are still people around who think there is something wrong with it.
If you care about being judged by people who think that, then don't use it. The rest of us will carry on using this useful English word with a long history.
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
add a comment |
Insofar as anything is right or wrong in grammar, 'their' is wrong here, and 'her' is right. Imagine you were learning English as a foreign language; I'm sure you'd be told that (unless there is gender ambiguity) a female individual requires the possessive adjective "her".
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– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
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active
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votes
"Correct" is a social judgment, not a linguistic one.
The OED has examples of singular their going back to 1382, but there are still people around who think there is something wrong with it.
If you care about being judged by people who think that, then don't use it. The rest of us will carry on using this useful English word with a long history.
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
add a comment |
"Correct" is a social judgment, not a linguistic one.
The OED has examples of singular their going back to 1382, but there are still people around who think there is something wrong with it.
If you care about being judged by people who think that, then don't use it. The rest of us will carry on using this useful English word with a long history.
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
add a comment |
"Correct" is a social judgment, not a linguistic one.
The OED has examples of singular their going back to 1382, but there are still people around who think there is something wrong with it.
If you care about being judged by people who think that, then don't use it. The rest of us will carry on using this useful English word with a long history.
"Correct" is a social judgment, not a linguistic one.
The OED has examples of singular their going back to 1382, but there are still people around who think there is something wrong with it.
If you care about being judged by people who think that, then don't use it. The rest of us will carry on using this useful English word with a long history.
answered 2 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
65.1k175161
65.1k175161
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
add a comment |
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
1
1
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
The question is about people with known gender. The OED is talking about usage "[i]n relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her."
– Laurel
2 hours ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
Even people who use singular they generally do not extend it to eclipse all singular pronouns like this. There was a recent question where someone mentioned their (!) eight-year-old daughter ‘correcting’ his use of she for an unspecified, but female, classmate, claiming it should be they; but that sort of usage remains a marginal exception.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
55 secs ago
add a comment |
Insofar as anything is right or wrong in grammar, 'their' is wrong here, and 'her' is right. Imagine you were learning English as a foreign language; I'm sure you'd be told that (unless there is gender ambiguity) a female individual requires the possessive adjective "her".
New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
add a comment |
Insofar as anything is right or wrong in grammar, 'their' is wrong here, and 'her' is right. Imagine you were learning English as a foreign language; I'm sure you'd be told that (unless there is gender ambiguity) a female individual requires the possessive adjective "her".
New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
add a comment |
Insofar as anything is right or wrong in grammar, 'their' is wrong here, and 'her' is right. Imagine you were learning English as a foreign language; I'm sure you'd be told that (unless there is gender ambiguity) a female individual requires the possessive adjective "her".
New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Insofar as anything is right or wrong in grammar, 'their' is wrong here, and 'her' is right. Imagine you were learning English as a foreign language; I'm sure you'd be told that (unless there is gender ambiguity) a female individual requires the possessive adjective "her".
New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 9 mins ago
Philip WoodPhilip Wood
1193
1193
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Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
add a comment |
Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
Please be kind enough to give a reason for the downvote. I'm new to the site and need to be told what to avoid.
– Philip Wood
7 mins ago
add a comment |
Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc
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Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc
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Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc
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Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc
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answered 2 hours ago
Kimani ValentineKimani Valentine
1
1
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add a comment |
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