Madbrad200 to Shitty Food [email protected] • edit-23 months agoCrimes against breakfastssh.itjust.worksimagemessage-square135fedilinkarrow-up1411
arrow-up1411imageCrimes against breakfastssh.itjust.worksMadbrad200 to Shitty Food [email protected] • edit-23 months agomessage-square135fedilink
minus-square𝔄 𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔱 𝔭𝔦𝔢𝔠𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔢𝔰𝔢linkfedilink23•3 months ago“They” can be used as a gender non-specific pronoun.
minus-square@[email protected]linkfedilink3•3 months agoAlthough in this case it could be either singular or plural
minus-square@[email protected]linkfedilink9•3 months agoThis is quite confusing at least for a non native like me… I’ve always been told ‘they’ is plural… It’s feels a bit like when megalomaniac people refer to themselves as we. Why not make a new pronoun if no other suitable singular exists?
minus-square@[email protected]linkfedilink17•3 months agoBecause English got simplified at various points in history. We’ve lost thee and thou and thy. As awkward as singular they might seem, it’s so old that Shakespeare used it.
minus-square@[email protected]linkfedilinkEnglish8•3 months agoTime to improve and learn the real definition then.
minus-square@[email protected]linkfedilink5•3 months agoIf it helps to relate it to something else, “you” also has plural grammar but can refer to a singular.
“They” can be used as a gender non-specific pronoun.
Although in this case it could be either singular or plural
This is quite confusing at least for a non native like me… I’ve always been told ‘they’ is plural… It’s feels a bit like when megalomaniac people refer to themselves as we. Why not make a new pronoun if no other suitable singular exists?
Because English got simplified at various points in history. We’ve lost thee and thou and thy.
As awkward as singular they might seem, it’s so old that Shakespeare used it.
Time to improve and learn the real definition then.
Well, now you know better.
If it helps to relate it to something else, “you” also has plural grammar but can refer to a singular.