My, I'm on a roll with these impromptu posts referencing other blogs, am I not? (Don't worry; it'll drop off next week when school starts. I think.)
Anyway, legbamel makes an interesting note that I'd not heard before in the his/their for singular pronoun debate. Evidently, their was originally both singular and plural neuter pronoun until two or three centuries ago, so the pure traditionalists for the English language are contradicting themselves when they persist in using he as the singular neuter pronoun.
Legbamel references a page from crossmyt.com that walks through this argument.
Perhaps it's true that those who protest the singular use of their are historically wrong. It's embarrassing to consider, but it's an intriguing idea.
Nonetheless, I'll be happy when (or if) the English language makes a standard decision about what to use. Until then, it's mocked if you do and spurned if you don't, with any choice for a singular neuter pronoun having those who call it downright wrong.
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