Comments on: Mini-tutorial on writing: part three

By: Sue Collier

Sue Collier — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:42:26 +0000

Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Sandra! Glad you found the info helpful. Please be sure to stop back.

By: Sandra Pandi

Sandra Pandi — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:51:59 +0000

Hello Sue,

Thank you so much for this extremely helpful information. I heard about you and Marilyn Ross thanks to Barbara Winter’s Winning Ways newsletter. Great work!

By: Sue Collier

Sue Collier — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:28:28 +0000

Hi Dave–The use of they, them, and themselves when referring to a singular noun is becoming more of an accepted practice…just like most other things, grammar evolves over the years. I have to confess, though, that it bugs the heck out of me! Honestly, I’ll do my best to recast the sentence to avoid the clunkiness you talk about (because I agree with you there!). Some authors will go back and forth with pronoun use when they can–”he” in one paragrah, and “she” in the next. (Obviously this doesn’t work if you are talking about specific people.)

As far as people being too lazy to think…I think we both know the answer to that one!

Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Please do come again!

By: Dave Moore

Dave Moore — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:28:46 +0000

Hi Sue,

Love the site. I’ve been reading the last couple days and have been holding back writing any comments. I can only imagine the effort and time you put into this site. Thank you for your work.

Here is my question/comment: To be gender non-specific how about the use of they, them, and themselves? Herself and himself sound clunky, him or herself, and he/she are, to my ear, equally unwieldy. While they and them is applicable to more than one person is can also be used when referring to a single person.

Also, please tell me that people are not too lazy to think, and the generation from 10 to 30 especially.

Thanks,
Dave