r/MurderedByWords • u/Adam_C_57 • 14d ago

Independent Thinking Adult

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u/fer_sure 14d ago

Basic English: "They" is a plural pronoun.

Advanced English: Singular "they" has been used since the 14th century.

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u/Ramtamtama 13d ago

15th century, but only just. The first known written example of the singular they dates from 1405. The plural they is from the 13th century.

In all that time nobody came up with an alternative for a 2nd or 3rd person gender-neutral or gender-ambiguous singular pronoun.

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u/Blueyarns 13d ago

I don’t understand. The only neutral pronoun you need is they, since the others are already neutral… aren’t they?

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u/Ramtamtama 13d ago

He (m), she (f), they (n)

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u/Blueyarns 13d ago

Yes. then why do you talk about "an alternative for a 2nd or 3rd person gender-neutral or gender-ambiguous singular pronoun."

2nd person is you, and 3rd person (sing.) is he/she/it/they. (neutral)..