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From: regard@ttidcc.UUCP (Adrienne Regard)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: sexist language/bad attitudes
Message-ID: <301@ttidcc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Mar-85 10:41:09 EST
Article-I.D.: ttidcc.301
Posted: Tue Mar 26 10:41:09 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 31-Mar-85 03:48:33 EST
Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA.
Lines: 22


Using "s/he" or the singular "they" IS taking action, Marcel.  It is
an alteration of the language to suit the needs of the people.

Language is a symbolic method for organizing intelligence.  It is _not_
true that we "think" without words.  A language that lacks a lexicon for
certain concepts has an incomplete notion of those concepts.  To make
concrete for ourselves, peers, children the notion that men and women
are equal legally, economically, potentially, we need to create a word
that expresses that concept explicitly.  The singular "they", like the
singular "you" is a formalization of the concept.

Frankly, I am in favor of borrowing from another language a neuter pronoun
(the Latin "on" doesn't quite work, since it is an English word in its
own right) and using that.  That makes the situation even more screamingly
obvious, though, and many people object to such methods.  The singular
"they" captures the concept and is generally understood.

From a purist point of view, it grates on the ear -- there I will agree
with you.  But we live in the real world, warts and all.  "They" is on
it's way, and you are going to be a very frustrated person if you insist
on misunderstanding/correcting that usage.