[Grammar] Go to the doctor. They will help you.

[englishhobby]

Is it correct to say "Go to the doctor. They will help you"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is it correct to say "Go to the doctor. [STRIKE]They[/STRIKE] He/She will help you"?

See above.

 

[englishhobby]

And if I don't know if it's "he' or 'she'? Can I just say "he"?

 

[emsr2d2]

If you really don't know, you can use the generic "they". By saying "he", you are indicating that you know it's a man.

 

[emsr2d2]

These days, in the NHS, people rarely get to see the GP they're registered with. I'm registered with a specific doctor at my surgery but I haven't had an appointment with her for over eight years. When I phone for an appointment, I take the first appointment available, no matter who it's with. Some patients insist on seeing the doctor they're registered with even if it means a long wait. Most of us gave up on that practice a long time ago!

I agree that if you're going to A&E (Casualty) because it's an emergency, you would use "they" to refer to the whole department.

 

[GoesStation]

If disliking the implicit assumption that professionals must be male (something's missing here), then many Americans I know would take 'snowflake' as a compliment.

This one would. Oddly enough, my mother couldn't appreciate the linguistic implication of using masculine pronouns as neuter. She learned English academically, as a fourth or fifth language, and just accepted that rule as natural. She was perfectly happy to be called "Madame Chairman", for example.

The language is marching on!