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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!spar!ellis
From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.nlang
Subject: Re: Grammar and Spelling on the Net
Message-ID: <135@spar.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 23-Feb-86 05:34:05 EST
Article-I.D.: spar.135
Posted: Sun Feb 23 05:34:05 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Feb-86 04:04:07 EST
References: <235@pttesac.UUCP> <33100034@ISM780.UUCP> <658@frog.UUCP> <11949@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Organization: Schlumberger Artificial Research, CA
Lines: 20
Xref: linus net.singles:9392 net.nlang:3891

>> =  dianeh@ISM780
>  =  Anthony Albert

>>Unfortunately, poor grammar more often just makes the
>>person sound stupid and tends to make me immediately prejudiced against
>>any validity their statements might otherwise have. 
>               ^^^^^ ?!?
>> If a person can't take the time to learn their own language,
>                                     ^^^^^
>I am reminded of a parable which mentions stones and glass houses.

    Sorry, Anthony. Current usage is tending towards singular `their'
    in cases where the gender is unknown, as has been the natural
    tendency of english for at least ~300 years. 

    dianeh@ISM750's usage is perfectly correct. If you do not like
    this, you win a pink leisure suit and two weeks at the men's bathhouse
    of your choice.

-michael