he or she for "a person" ... ?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am new in this website and I really enjoy it.

I have got a question about the gender of words like "person" or "someone". It's quite hard to know if it is better to use he or she, him or her with these words.

Anyone could help me ?

[RonBee]

If you know the gender of the person in question, then he or she will fill the bill. If you don't know the gender of the person in question, then person or someone or somebody should serve nicely.

:)

[MikeNewYork]

Hello,

I am new in this website and I really enjoy it.

I have got a question about the gender of words like "person" or "someone". It's quite hard to know if it is better to use he or she, him or her with these words.

Anyone could help me ?

Traditionally, we have used "he/him/his" in expressions in which the gender is unknown. Some have taken to using "they/them/their/ in such situations, but that disrurbs the consept of number agreement. Often, pluralizing the sentence eliminates the problem. :wink:

[Tdol]

Like many, but not all, British speakers, I use 'they' quite happily for a single person. In BE, we have a much more relaxed attitude towards singular and plural than many Americans.

[MikeNewYork]

Like many, but not all, British speakers, I use 'they' quite happily for a single person. In BE, we have a much more relaxed attitude towards singular and plural than many Americans.

You Brits are relaxed and on your way to comatose.

[Tdol]

It's interesting the way American English has turned from the accelerator to the brake, while British English has done the opposite.

[MikeNewYork]

It's interesting the way American English has turned from the accelerator to the brake, while British English has done the opposite.

I agree. I used to be very impressed with the British approach towards preserving the integrity of the language. :wink: