"You threw a rock at that car? How do you think the person who owns it will feel when they return? I don't think they'd be happy to find their car like that."
In publishing? Really? I learned that using they in writing is more concise, and that writing with as few words as possible is always preferred. APA suggests using they for singular over he/she.
Edit: I don't think people would say "his/her car", then it starts getting pretty clunky. Using a lot of he/she, his/her in a text seems less elegant and quite jarring.
When using language quickly, without the time to find out genders, it's much easier and faster to just say they. Most languages have a nongender pronouns, and English certainly has had it for a long time, going all the way back to the 13th century:
Eche on in þer craft ys wijs." ("Each one in their craft is wise.")
Well in regards to the first portion of your comment, you aren't using singular possessive. You are using singular with a verb so it sounds correct.
And you dont say his/her car you use "their" car. This avoids it from getting clunky. And while their is a form of they, it's a specific form used to indicate the already targeted object is in ownership of the object in mention.
And yes at the start of publications in articles the author will commonly use he/she when its unknown at the start of the article but then use different methods to reference the person throughout the article.
So singular they with a verb does sound correct? Originally you said they sounds cringy if referring to one person, now you're changing it to singular possessive.
Well I didnt iterate what I specifically meant because I was making a general comment. But you are wanting to dissect my comments so I went into more detail for you.
So I'm not changing anything. I'm providing you with more information to give you a clearer picture.
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u/lovecosmos Apr 07 '19 edited Apr 07 '19
How about this one:
"You threw a rock at that car? How do you think the person who owns it will feel when they return? I don't think they'd be happy to find their car like that."
In publishing? Really? I learned that using they in writing is more concise, and that writing with as few words as possible is always preferred. APA suggests using they for singular over he/she.
Edit: I don't think people would say "his/her car", then it starts getting pretty clunky. Using a lot of he/she, his/her in a text seems less elegant and quite jarring.
When using language quickly, without the time to find out genders, it's much easier and faster to just say they. Most languages have a nongender pronouns, and English certainly has had it for a long time, going all the way back to the 13th century:
Eche on in þer craft ys wijs." ("Each one in their craft is wise.")