Discussion » Questions » Language » The use of the words 'them' and 'they' has been used many times by many people as a substitute for 'he/she.

The use of the words 'them' and 'they' has been used many times by many people as a substitute for 'he/she.

Should this finally be accepted as OK usage?

Posted - April 25, 2022

Responses


  • 52953

     

      No.
      ~

      April 25, 2022 3:27 PM MDT
    4

  • 9894
    Yes. 
      April 25, 2022 5:14 PM MDT
    3

  • 22912
    A 'no' for me.

    It seems one set of words is plural and the other set is singular.
      April 25, 2022 7:00 PM MDT
    4

  • 32700
    No. As Welby said they/them is plural. 

    I have used they when speaking publicly about actual person while trying to protect the person's identity.  I try not to speak directly about my family and friends online. 
      April 25, 2022 7:11 PM MDT
    3

  • 16256
    Until someone comes up with gender-neutral personal pronouns, it's required. Some ppl just aren't binary - never mind XXY, there's also the entire trans community and some folks who just don't have a sexual identity of any kind. The person who i used to refer to as my niece and is now my sister's nonbinary child is quite definitely a "they" - asexual.
      April 25, 2022 10:20 PM MDT
    5

  • 22912
    Good point. Hadn't thought of it in that way. This post was edited by WelbyQuentin at April 29, 2022 1:57 PM MDT
      April 26, 2022 6:45 PM MDT
    2

  • 17404
    No. 
      April 25, 2022 11:37 PM MDT
    4

  • 10049
    Grammarically, I'm inclined to say he/she because of the singular/plural issue, but I absolutely accept that some people are non-binary and refer to themselves as 'they', so I believe we should accept them/they and move on. 
      April 26, 2022 5:06 PM MDT
    2

  • 22912
    Hadn't thought of it in this way. Good point, similar to how I took Slartibartfast's answer.
      April 26, 2022 6:45 PM MDT
    2

  • 845
    The answer to the question is "no"; however it will happen anyway because so many people think it's a good idea. The reason for the 'no' is because these "many people" don't know that there already exists perfectly useful non-gender specific, singular, third person pronouns such as "one", "someone", "anyone", "oneself", "who", "whoever", etc.
      April 26, 2022 5:26 PM MDT
    3

  • 9894
    Seriously?
      April 26, 2022 6:31 PM MDT
    3

  • 16256
    If one uses "one" as a pronoun, one might be thought to be making fun of the Queen.
      April 30, 2022 4:20 AM MDT
    1

  • 2967
    No
      April 26, 2022 6:33 PM MDT
    4

  • 7405
    Yes. 
      April 29, 2022 7:27 PM MDT
    1

  • 44231
    Yes...but Canadians can say anything, eh?
      April 30, 2022 8:19 AM MDT
    0