jb5679 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Just a thought, most languages have a word for a singular entity that is neutral in sex (IE, I don't know the owner of this house, but I will be sure to greet him/her). And I notice this in FL too, on occassion (see Challenge FINISH THEM!) We use those three things that I made as my title for this post as singular when they are supposed to be plural. I suppose this works equally well in OOC as well as polls, but what do you think the english language should do to make it so, if you were a newcomer to a conversation, this they/their/them stuff wouldnt make you think of 3,000 people when it was supposed to be about 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysticR Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 I think that almost everyone who speaks english has an understanding that when people use "they/them" know whether a person is talking of one or two+ people. It's the same thing with you singular and you plural. We do not distinguish in english, but most languages do. I think people just know most of the time whether to use it plurally or singularily. The Latin language was clever when it made a way to distinguish between singular and plural with several different words, but especially "you". It is similar to people saying "I want you to take out the trash." to one person. And if speaking to multiple, they would say "I want yous to take out the trash." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonforger17 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Latin didnt have that problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysticR Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 I said that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb5679 Posted December 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 all this doesn't fix the fact we don't have a neutral sex singular identifier in english Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evangelion Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Uh, you're all very silly. The word "it" is what you're looking for. Not complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chayesh Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Uh, you're all very silly. The word "it" is what you're looking for. Not complicated. "Needless to say, that is the one word which the Knights who formerly said Nee cannot suffer to hear." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizz Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 *snicker* You must bring us a shrubbery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindflayer Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Come back here, I'll bite your bloody arms off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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