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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Pronouns devoid of gender connotations
Message-ID: <337@spar.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Jun-85 14:00:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.337
Posted: Tue Jun 18 14:00:55 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Jun-85 11:42:27 EDT
References: <2718@decwrl.UUCP>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 35

>>      ... on the problem of what word to use to refer to a person of 
>> unknown gender. ... I don't think any of those solutions is the way to go.  
>> Instead, I think a new word is in order. ... My nomination?  "Zhe."
>> (The zh is pronounced like the z in azure) 
>> 
>> Example:  If a person saw an automobile accident, what should zhe do? 
>
>     The English language has had *precisely* the word you are looking
>for for hundreds of years now.  Its use sounds no more or less stilted
>than your proposed new word.  It is 'one.' 
>
>"If one saw an automobile accident, what should one do?"
>
    False!

    You'll notice you rephrased the original sentence by removing the 
    original noun. In so doing, you covered up the flaw with your
    solution.

    What's needed is a gender-free ANAPHORIC pronoun, that is, one used
    to refer to previously mentioned noun phrases, as in the sentences below:

    Subjective: We need a programmer. {S/he,they,one?} must have 5 years' 
		programming experience in C.
    Possessive: The applicant must know how to tie {his/her,their,one's?} 
    		shoes.
    Objective:	When you see John's secretary, give {him/her,them,one?} this
    		memo.

    Note that `one' absolutely refuses to work in such sentences.

-michael