Them, they, those or it.

Hahaha not surprising. Who did the study? Yahoo?

So, here we are on Christmas Day, and while bombs are dropping in the Ukraine, children are starving in Africa, COVID runs rampant in China and basic human rights are being trampled in such paradises as N. Korea and Iran, we have people, some even on this thread, that will be offended if they are addressed by the "wrong" pronoun. What a joke, and certainly a first world "problem".

Let's make this simple---the English language has 3 third person singular pronouns----he, she, and it. Everyone should just pick one and shut up, there are bigger problems in the world.

PS: How many starving children could have food and clean water for the $ 2 million it cost us, the taxpayer, to study this crap?

Attachments
 

How can they be seen? Same deal with attachment on my post.

The problem is most are afraid of change. Change is going to happen with you or without you if you are one that is open to new ways. The world is going to pass you by.

How many starving people have you fed recently?

How many threads about feeding starving children have you started, in an attempt to get support for it?

THIS thread is about pronouns. And no, the English language doesn't have only three third person singular pronouns. They/them has been used for centuries when referring to a generic person of no specified gender.

You see someone of medium height half a block away, wearing a non-specific outfit, you can't tell if they have boobs or not, and they have a hood raised to cover their hair and shadow their face. You have no idea if it's male or female. But you do know they're carrying a duffel bag with cash falling out of it.

Do you tell the cops it was some guy in a hoodie? Or do you say "it was a humanoid with its hood raised and it was carrying a duffel bag?" Or do you tell the cops "I saw a person with their hood up, couldn't tell anything more about them?"

Today's grammar lesson: "They/them" is a PLEURAL pronoun, not singular, so there are 3. And we are NOT talking about people whose identity is hidden from view. Woke up, please---oh no, you already did---I mean wake up:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Wake up to current reality. Like it or not, time moves on, with or without you. And by time moves on, I mean from at least the year 1375. They/them are, and have been, used as singular pronouns when the person is either unnamed, or their gender is otherwise unspecified.

A brief history of singular ‘they’ | Oxford English Dictionary

Also - while you're in a dictionary, learn how to spell plural.

Sorry you didn't understand the pun: pleural is the adjective that describes the linings of the lungs----actually visceral pleura covers the lungs and parietal pleura lines the chest cavity. This pronoun nonsense takes my breath away as well as causing chest pain as in pleuritis. Hint---try a medical dictionary:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

And unless you have an archaic Middle English dictionary, "they" is still plural. Perhaps it's singular in the California Dictionary of Wokeness.

I also hope you realize all this back and forth jabbing debate is all just in good fun. Merry Christmas

I prefer to keep things even simpler, everyone could just be referred to as dude.

Merry Christmas Dude : )

But what if the dude is transitioning to a dudette or vice versa. The we have to "politely ask" what pronoun they "prefer" lest we "offend" them. For you and I, we couldn't care less. But for a professor or a corporate employee there can be consequences. My favorite is that "they"/"it" can change their "preferred pronoun" at any time and WE are supposed to keep up. Still couldn't care less, but THE MARINES?????? . What's next?---a free speech zone????? Perhaps all this woke crap can be written into the rules of engagement. For example, you can shoot an enemy that used the wrong pronoun, but surrender to "them" if they asked you first. In fact, why attack with bombs and missiles, just hurl improper pronouns at them---then they can cry and surrender.

You got that right dude, you and I couldn’t care less. So happy we are retired and don’t have to give a crap who we might offend. I will die before I woke, whatever the he// that is? I totally agree that the Marines, of all people, should be given a free pass on all this crap. If your skin is so thin that you are offended by a pronoun, how in the world are you going to defend our country from the ruthlessness of the likes of Putin?

Looks like we are going to need a rule book, possibly online class certification before we can speak to another.

No Sir or No Mam or No ? Not on this one