Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83 (MC840302); site boring.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!mcvax!boring!steven From: steven@boring.UUCP Newsgroups: net.women,net.nlang Subject: Re: Non-sexist language (historical) Message-ID: <6461@boring.UUCP> Date: Sun, 16-Jun-85 20:16:15 EDT Article-I.D.: boring.6461 Posted: Sun Jun 16 20:16:15 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 18-Jun-85 07:30:57 EDT References: <11267@brl-tgr.ARPA> <290@wuphys.UUCP> Reply-To: steven@mcvax.UUCP (Steven Pemberton) Distribution: net Organization: CWI, Amsterdam Lines: 143 Xref: linus net.women:5493 net.nlang:2915 Apparently-To: rnews@mcvax.LOCAL In article <290@wuphys.UUCP> bsc@wuphys.UUCP writes: > I've seen a lot of discussion recently on the problem of what word to use > to refer to a person of unknown gender. There are several word pairs which > have this problem, among them: 1) man-woman 2) she-he 3) him-her 4) his-her > 5) hers-his. #1 seems to have an agreeable solution: person. The others > however are not quite so obvious. [...] I think a new word is in order. > [...] My nomination ? Zhe. There already IS a word in the English language, used daily, and used at least since the fourteenth century, for a person of unspecified gender. The problem is that eighteenth century grammarians pronounced this usage as 'bad English' (even though such notables as W. Shakespeare used it), and since that time its use has been frowned upon in written English (though many people say it). That word is THEY, (along with its relatives). For example: "If anyone is going into town I can give them a lift". Although the rules prescribe "I can give HIM a lift", it is my opinion that that that is incorrect usage. Now the problem is, that since this is drummed into us from our earliest school years as bad English, people find it hard to re-accept as correct. I have a collection of 35 quotations, most from the Oxford English Dictionary, and I find that hard-line anti-'they'ers are usually convinced only by being shown such a collection of notables using this 'bad' English. I hesitated at first to post the whole collection, but on reflection I think sufficient people will find it interesting to warrant it. It consists of examples of the use of THEY, THEM, THEMSELVES, and THEIR taken from the OED, plus a few quotations from other sources. Steven Pemberton, CWI, Amsterdam; steven@mcvax. ----------------------------------------------- THEY 2. Often used in reference to a singular noun made universal by every, any, no, etc., or applicable to one of either sex (= `he or she'). See Jespersen Progress in Language 24. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 163b, Yf,.a psalm scape ony persone, or a lesson, or else yt they omyt one verse or twayne. 1535 FISHER Ways perf. Relig. ix. Wks. (1876) 383 He neuer forsaketh any creature vnlesse they before haue forsaken them selues. 1749 FIELDING Tom Jones viii. xi, Every Body fell a laughing, as how could they help it. 1759 CHESTERF. Lett. IV. ccclv. 170 If a person is born of a gloomy temper ..they cannot help it. 1835 WHEWELL in Life (1881) 173 Nobody can deprive us of the Church if they would. 1858 BAGEHOT Lit.Stud. (1879) II.206 Nobody fancies for a moment that they are reading about anything beyond the pale of ordinary propriety. 1866 RUSKIN Crown Wild Olives 38 (1873) 44 Now, nobody does anything well that they cannot help doing. THEM 2. Often used for `him or her', referring to a singular person whose sex is not stated, or to anybody, nobody, somebody, whoever, etc. 1742 RICHARDSON Pamela III. 127 Little did I think..to make a..complaint against a Person very dear to you,..but dont let them be so proud..as to make them not care how they affront everybody else. 1853 Miss YONGE Heir of Redclyffe xxliv, Nobody else..has so little to plague them. 1874 DASENT Half a life II. 198 Whenever anyone was ill, she brewed them a drink. THEMSELVES 5. In concord with a singular pronoun or sb. denoting a person, in cases where the meaning implies more than one, as when the sb. is qualified by a distributive, or refers to either sex: = himself or herself. a. 1464 Rolls of Parlt. V. 513/2 Inheritements, of which any of the seid persones..was seised by theym self, or joyntly with other. c 1489 CAXTON Sonnes of Aymon i. 39 Eche of theym..make theymselfe redy. 1533 MORE Apol. 55b, Neyther Tyndale there nor thys precher..hath by theyr maner of expounyng..wonne them self mych wurshyp. y. 1600 SHAKS. Lucr. 125 Eury one to rest themselues [ ed. 1594 himselfe] betake. 1654-66 EARL ORRERY Parthen. (1676) 147 All that happened, which every one assured themselves, would render him a large sharer in the general joy. 1874 DASENT Half a life 3 Every one likes to keep it to themselves as long as they can. THEIR 3. Often used in relation to a singular sb. or pronoun denoting a person, after each, every, either, neither, no one, every one, etc. Also so used instead of `his or her', when the gender is inclusive or uncertain. (Not favoured by grammarians.) 13.. Cursor M. 389 (Cott.) Bath ware made sun and mon, Aither wit ther ouen light. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) 1, Iche mon in thayre degre. 14.. Arth. & Merl. 2440 (Kolbing) Many a Sarazen lost their life. 1545 ABP. PARKER Let. to Bp. Gardiner 8 May, Thus was it agreed among us that every president should assemble their companies. 1563 WYNGET Four Scoir Thre Quest. liv, A man or woman being lang absent fra thair party. 1643 TRAPP Comm. Gen. xxiv. 22 Each Countrey bath their fashions, and garnishes. 1749 FIELDING Tom Jones vii, xiv Every one in the House were in their beds. 1771 GOLDSM. Hist. Eng III. 241 Every person..now recovered their liberty. 1845 SYD. SMITH Wks. (1850) 175 Every human being must do something with their existence. 1848 THAKERAY Van. Fair xli A person can't help their birth. 1858 BAGEHOT Lit. Studies (1879) II. 206 Nobody in their senses would describe Gray's `Elegy' as [etc.]. 1898 G.B SHAW Plays II Candida 86 It's enough to drive anyone out of their senses. Other quotes SHAKESPEARE God send everyone their heart's desire. THAKERAY No one prevents you, do they? GEORGE ELIOT I shouldn't like to punish anyone, even if they'd done me wrong. WALT WHITMAN ..everyone shall delight us, and we them. ELIZABETH BOWEN He did not believe it rested anybody to lie with their head high... LAWRENCE DURREL You do not have to understand someone in order to love them. DORIS LESSING And how easy the way a man or woman would come in here, glance around, find smiles and pleasant looks waiting for them, then wave and sit down by themselves.