Re: [PATCH 4/4] CodingGuidelines: recommend singular they

From: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com>
Date: Jun 8, 2021, 08:11 UTC
Message-ID: <60bf2634beff5_1a700820836@natae.notmuch>
In-Reply-To: <YL8X7PepIggpKlSl@coredump.intra.peff.net>

Jeff King wrote:

Show 13 quoted lines

> On Mon, Jun 07, 2021 at 04:57:48PM +0000, Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget wrote:
> 
> > If we use singular "they/them" pronouns instead of "he/him" or "she/her"
> > pronouns, then we can avoid this congitive load on the reader.
> > 
> > Using singular "they" is also incredibly efficient. Choosing a gendered
> > pronoun is usually arbitrary between "he" or "she". Using constructs
> > such as "he or she", "s/he", or "(s)he" are more complicated than
> > singular "they".
> 
> In general, I do like the efficiency and readability of singular "they".
> As a native speaker, I have no problem reading it, and I have little
> sense that most of my native-speaker acquaintances would, either.

Does this sound correct to you?

  We thank the reviewer for their helpful comments

> One thing that gives me some comfort is your research here:

You should look into a carefully crafted usage note written by a panel of linguists and writers.

https://ahdictionary.tumblr.com/post/147597257733/updated-usage-note-they

Not a blog post written by a psychologist for an association actively criticized by many scolars (Twelve Scholars Respond to the APA’s Guidance for Treating Men and Boys).

https://quillette.com/2019/02/04/psychologists-respond-to-the-apas-guidance-for-treating-men-and-boys/

-- 
Felipe Contreras