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iverglas

(38,549 posts)
1. the Canadian government has adopted "they" as third person singular
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 05:03 PM
Apr 2012

- in legislation - and I now do it in all my own work.

Doing a quickie search at CanLII for "they shall" for an example finds this up top:

Sex Offender Information Registration Act, SC 2004, c 10
Consolidated Statutes of Canada — Canada (Federal)
... 5. (1) When a sex offender reports to a registration centre, they shall provide the following information to a person who collects information at the registration centre: ... (3) If a sex offender is required to report to a registration centre designated under this Act, they shall report in person. ... (2) If a sex offender is required to report to a registration centre designated under this Act, they shall report in person or in accordance with regulations made under paragraph

The meaning remains obvious, despite the technically incorrect grammar.

I've never thought it was really reasonable to try to change a language in such an extreme way as to invent a new word and try to get people to use it, especially for something as common and ingrained as a personal pronoun. Lots of people have always said "they" to refer to an unspecified third person, despite how all our elementary school teachers battled to get us not to do it (indicating the need for such a pronoun in the first place).

To get rid of he and she in English to refer to specific individuals ... if we wanted to ... that's something that is generations in the future.

Meanwhile, good on Sweden for all the voluntary stuff going on in all sectors of the society -- the corporate and associational sectors mentioned there are certainly excellent nuts to crack.

I'm not entirely sure that mixed bowling isn't going to disadvantage women, though ... and I'm afraid that gender neutral washrooms really and truly do. Women don't have equal social power, even in Sweden, and in places like bars and even schools and workplaces, women having no choice but to share intimate quarters like washrooms with men who may be strangers is not really appropriate, to my mind.

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the Canadian government has adopted "they" as third person singular iverglas Apr 2012 #1
I'm still trying to digest this article.... Little Star Apr 2012 #2
one does have to hand it to them, though iverglas Apr 2012 #4
It is a difficult problem to solve longship Apr 2012 #3
well, herstory ;) iverglas Apr 2012 #5
I think I made a case against "herstory" longship Apr 2012 #6
I think that maybe herstory has to do with boston bean Apr 2012 #7
let me try again iverglas Apr 2012 #8
Etymology of "history" longship Apr 2012 #10
excuse me iverglas Apr 2012 #11
I will let "herstory is history written from a feminist perspective" speak for itself longship Apr 2012 #13
do what you like iverglas Apr 2012 #16
I apologize for any offense longship Apr 2012 #20
you might have noticed the name of this forum is History of Feminism boston bean Apr 2012 #17
you are missing the point it talking specifically and not being asked to used generally. firstly seabeyond Apr 2012 #14
I agree 100% longship Apr 2012 #18
i dont use the word. if i am hearing right, and what i am seeing.... seabeyond Apr 2012 #19
No offense taken or delivered longship Apr 2012 #21
I appreciate your passion about this MadrasT Apr 2012 #23
I, too, have moderated my opinion longship Apr 2012 #25
"lobbying for parents to be able to choose any name for their children" Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #9
it's fairly common in European countries iverglas Apr 2012 #12
Of course. What constitutes a "valid public concern" is by no means universally agreed upon. Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #15
chuckles iverglas Apr 2012 #26
I make an exception for Kaidan Alenko. Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #27
I had no idea that anyone regulated naming. MadrasT Apr 2012 #24
"Intel Dual Core"...? BlueIris Apr 2012 #22
To be fair, some of these may be Palins. Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #28
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