The English language does not have a gender-neutral singular pronoun for use with people, so speakers and writers often use the plural "they," even when referring to individuals.
Consider:
"Everyone must do their part."
"Each one of us should cast their vote on Election Day"
"Each has their own unique style."
To some, mixing the plural pronoun (they) with a singular referent (everyone, each), jars the ear. But the politically correct "his or her" or "his/her" jars even more, partly because it seems clumsy. And, of course, using "its" in reference to people is right out.
So, what to do? As the king said, "Is a puzzlement."
Consider the options:
1/ Defy the objectors, and continue using "everyone ... their."
2/ Satisfy the politically sensitive and use "his or her," and alternate the genders throughout the text, running the risk of confusing readers even more.
3/ Use the neuter pronoun "its," traditionally used for things, not people or other creatures.
4/ Revive the Anglo-Saxon singular neutral "hem."
5/ Rewrite to the clearly plural, such as "All voters should cast their ballots," or "Each has a unique style," or "All of us must do our parts," thereby pluralizing "ballots" to agree with the plural "us."
When in doubt, rephrase.
Another advantage: You eliminate the conflict and the redundancy in the phrase "their own unique ... " By definition, "unique" is one of a kind.
No comments:
Post a Comment