Pronoun chaos.

[mcmurtry66]

Maybe, but you used a singular construction, and no one thought it sounded funny or awkward. In fact, consider this. If you changed it to a plural construction ("If they earned their GEDs, we'd buy them computers"), you run the risk of being unclear, since that sentence could suggest that the computers would be awarded as a group only if everyone earned their GEDs, rather than as individual awards for individual achievements. So in this case, the singular "they" is actually clearer!

Yeah good point

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

You might want to take another look. CoH's post , when using 'they', is referring to his doctor and her resident. McM is referring to 'at risk kids' in the plural,...i.e., their experiences. In both instances, the plural rather than the singular. And gender is not relevant to the reference. So...you're the one that's wrong, genius. Get over yourself.

As to the alleged frequent use of 'they' in this context, it is far less frequent, as COH and MCM showed with their examples, than the use of non-gender pronouns relevant to the given situation.

COH used "they" to refer to "one" in: "before I’ll trust one who likes to appear on TV and expound about how much they know and don’t see a single patient."

McM was talking about multiple individuals, but used they in a singular grammatical construct as: "if they completed their ged we gave them a free computer."

Both of those sentences used "they" in its singular form, and it didn't bother or sound wrong to anyone.

 

[mushroomgod_1]

Actually, his point was that since there was no answer, the English Language is left with no option.

As it says in the KJV Bible: "“In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3)
Take it up with the Bible, buddy.

You made a post that was intended to show me up, and instead proved my case. That's on you. Sorry it embarrassed you.

 

[mushroomgod_1]

COH used "they" to refer to "one" in: "before I’ll trust one who likes to appear on TV and expound about how much they know and don’t see a single patient."

McM was talking about multiple individuals, but used they in a singular grammatical construct as: "if they completed their ged we gave them a free computer."

Both of those sentences used "they" in its singular form, and it didn't bother or sound wrong to anyone.

MCM was speaking of plural at risk kids, as was apparent. If he was speaking of a specific at risk kid within that group, when gender was not relevant, the most appropriate language would be "I'd help an at risk kid get a computer when he or she received a ged.

 

[NPT]

And they won't having any fing idea of what each other is talking

That's the goal and then politicians/others can say that's not what I meant and can make what they say/wrote mean anything that fits the situation.

 

[Bulk VanderHuge]

mushroomgod_1 posted (incorrectly, which made it impossible to use the quote function:
"You made a post that was intended to show me up, and instead proved my case. That's on you. Sorry it embarrassed you."

The fact that you think it's possible to be embarrassed on an anonymous message board says it all. And, for you to think you have the wherewithal to embarrass anyone on here is precious.
I am, however, a little embarrassed for you.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

COH used "they" to refer to "one" in: "before I’ll trust one who likes to appear on TV and expound about how much they know and don’t see a single patient."

McM was talking about multiple individuals, but used they in a singular grammatical construct as: "if they completed their ged we gave them a free computer."

Both of those sentences used "they" in its singular form, and it didn't bother or sound wrong to anyone.

That’s a fair observation. But the “they”is a little different if, for example, I referred to Dr. Smith and then referenced him as a “they”.

 

[stollcpa]

Actually, his point was that since there was no answer, the English Language is left with no option.

As it says in the KJV Bible: "“In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3)
Take it up with the Bible, buddy.

😂

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

That’s a fair observation. But the “they”is a little different if, for example, I referred to Dr. Smith and then referenced him as a “they”.

It's a versatile word. My only point is to illustrate that its use as a singular third-person pronoun is not new, and when used appropriately, sounds perfectly natural. You used the word as both a singular and a plural in that short post, and both usages were perfectly sensible.

 

[NPT]

You used the word as both a singular and a plural in that short post, and both usages were perfectly sensible.

Darn COH ... did you faint ... goat said you wrote something perfectly sensible. 😛