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If I recall the OED (and Jane Austen) correctly, "they" may be (and is) used
on occasion as a singular neuter pronoun in a specific, reference-free
context (e.g., "everyone should enter their password to access the secret
Pentagon database" or "no one should try to enter their password to attempt
to access the secret Pentagon database").
I don't recall the OED or Jane Austen giving _their_ imprimatur to a
construction like "when the user entered their password, they were able to
access the secret Pentagon database". That sounds odd and incorrect to me,
and I would not use it. Any more than I would be likely to write "Old
pirates yes they rob I, sold I to the merchant ships, minutes after they
took I from the bottomless pit", even though Bob Marley did so, and I like
his music. What's so bad about "when users enter their password(s), they
are able to access the secret Pentagon database", anyhow?
And I doubt ANYONE would read a construction like "when the user removes the
cover from the drive casing, she runs the risk of exposing the magnetic
surface to dust particles" without at least THINKING "Huh? Whassup with
that?", and perhaps removing the cover from the drive casing in _his or her_
confusion. Writing "he" may be chauvinistic, easily avoidable, and the sign
of an uninspired writer, but at least it's not a startling deviation from
the norm, often perceived as some kind of challenge, as is "she".
-----Original Message-----
From: Sean Brierley [mailto:sbri -at- haestad -dot- com]
Sent: mardi 4 mars 2003 14:05
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Gender neutral - any new developments in your neck of the
woods?
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