OOTS #1273 - The Discussion Thread

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Not recapping, analyzing. The take away is that the Big Showdown^tm isn't going to work like when Serini ambushed the Order.

There is some analyzing going on. But there is also a lot of telling-not-showing discussion of thing the comic showed-not-told not that long ago.

Arguably, "they" should never be used for the singular. That's not my opinion, but that's definitely a thing some people believe, are taught, and practice.

[citation needed]. "They" has been an accepted, acceptable and simply correct means to indicate singular people of unknown gender since, I am told, Early English. But since I cannot for the life of me read that, here's Chaucer instead (from this page):

Prologue of the Pardoner’s Tale (circa 1380s):

“And whoso fyndeth hym out of swich blame, / They wol come up and offre a Goddés name”
(“And whoso findeth him out of such blame, / They will come up and offer in God’s name”)

(emphasis mine)

Some random 18th century prescriptivist grammarian does not constitute a higher authority on the usage of the English language and the singular "They" than Chaucer. (same for split infinitives, dangling participles, etc.)

Grey Wolf