Posted by Roy W. Rising on 09/14/06 15:52

kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> HiC <brassplyer@xahoo.xom> wrote:
> >"Roy W. Rising" <rwrising@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
> >> > > Like "... THE engineer knocking THEIR coffee cup over ..." I'm
> >> > > sure you meant "... HIS coffee cup ...".
> >> >
> >> > Am I supposed to know it's a guy?
> >>
> >> No, you're supposed to know the rules of grammar.
> >
> >Kindly point to a citation demonstrating that a generic reference is
> >supposed to indicate the masculine. If you're right, I'll learn
> >something. If you're wrong, we'll all learn that you're wrong.
>
> OED. Also the Harbrace College Handbook. I was told that "the male
> pronoun always includes the female" back in third grade, but then we
> learned to diagram sentences and to use semicolons as pauses back then
> too.
>
> I think this usage has fallen into disfavour, but for those folks who
> believe the third edition OED is prescriptive and not descriptive and
> that we should establish an Academie Anglaise to freeze and codify the
> language as embodied in the third edition OED, well, those folks would
> claim the usage remains standard.
> --scott
> (who is arguably one of those folks sometimes)

Thanks, Scott! I knew there would be some smoke about this the minute I
clicked on the "Post" button. Others' comments have been fascinating. I
especially like those who don't give a whit about the original post but
have to jump into the fray and flame others for the sheer pleasure of
feeling better about themselves. It reminds me of a soap opera where the
rich have more problems than the trailer trash viewers!

--
~ Roy
"If you notice the sound, it's wrong!"

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