Re: [PATCH 1/4] Documentation: use singular they when appropriate

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Jun 11, 2021, 00:16 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqwnr1cl2q.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <790688e5-6816-9837-85e7-2fdbbdf24169@gmail.com>

Derrick Stolee <stolee@gmail.com> writes:

Show 12 quoted lines

> Singular "they" works the same as singular "you". For example:
>
> 	...means that _you are_ completely satisfied...
>
> Singular "you" had a similar backlash in the 1660s as singular "they"
> is having in this thread, but singular "you" has lasted (and we use
> "thou" only to signify someone using old-timey language).
>
> There is more of this in [1] and [2]
>
> [1] https://public.oed.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-singular-they/
> [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E2%80%93V_distinction#English

Thanks for references.  [1] was an amusing and illuminating read.

    ... Anyone who said thou and thee was seen as a fool and an
    idiot, or a Quaker, or at least hopelessly out of date.

    Singular you has become normal and unremarkable. Also
    unremarkable are the royal we and, in countries without a
    monarchy, the editorial we: first-person plurals used regularly
    as singulars and nobody calling anyone an idiot and a fool. And
    singular they is well on its way to being normal and
    unremarkable as well.