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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?













2















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?










share|improve this question


























    2















    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?










    share|improve this question
























      2












      2








      2








      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?










      share|improve this question














      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






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 2 hours ago









      AemiliusAemilius

      1183




      1183




















          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          3














          "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.






          share|improve this answer


















          • 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














          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".





          share








          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


















          -3














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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes








            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            3














            "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.






            share|improve this answer


















            • 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















            3














            "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.






            share|improve this answer


















            • 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













            3












            3








            3







            "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.






            share|improve this answer













            "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.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            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












            • 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













            -1














            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".





            share








            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















            -1














            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".





            share








            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













            -1












            -1








            -1







            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".





            share








            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".






            share








            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.








            share


            share






            New contributor




            Philip Wood is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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            answered 9 mins ago









            Philip WoodPhilip Wood

            1193




            1193




            New contributor




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            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.






            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

















            • 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











            -3














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              -3














              Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc






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                -3












                -3








                -3







                Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc






                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Kimani Valentine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                Kimani sksjbdjdjs Dixie dnc dnsisbcbsicbd fisbejsbc







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                New contributor




                Kimani Valentine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                share|improve this answer






                New contributor




                Kimani Valentine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                answered 2 hours ago









                Kimani ValentineKimani Valentine

                1




                1




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                Kimani Valentine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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