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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!chris
From: chris@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: feeling/being left out
Message-ID: <1707@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Aug-83 14:15:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.1707
Posted: Wed Aug 10 14:15:57 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Aug-83 01:54:41 EDT
References: <550@cvl.UUCP>
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 30

There are two sides to the "he" vs. "they" issue, as I see it:

1.  "He" has the problem that it is, quite obviously, male.  "Will
    each student put *his* book on the shelf" is too informative.

2.  "They" is not correct.  It's just plain wrong.  ``Subjects must
    agree with it's verb.''

So, how about:

			"it"

Just think, not only do you get rid of the male/female aspect, but
you no longer are prejudiced in favor of humans!

	"Will each student put it's book on the shelf."

How clean and simple.  Much shorter than "he/she".

Bonus side effect:  maybe people will even learn the distinction
between "it's" and "its" . . . (probably not).

Just in case, I'd like to point out that I'm being only marginally
serious.  In other words, :-)

				- Chris
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci
UUCP:	{seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!chris
CSNet:	chris@umcp-cs		ARPA:	chris.umcp-cs@UDel-Relay