Stupid pronoun agreement

[elaby]

I have decided that it would be much easier on everyone if the English language went back to using "his" as a non-gender-specific pronoun. Because, as I've recently learned (to my annoyance), it is ungrammatical to say something like "An American should show their passport to the customs officer". You have to say "An American should show his or her passport to the customs officer". And that sounds idiotic in most situations when you're trying to write smoothly. So I propose that in the case that gender isn't specified, it become acceptable to say "his". It used to be that "his" was the gender-neutral pronoun, but now it's just for boys, and people throw a FIT if you don't include both genders. Bah, I say.

... Yes, I'll go back to writing my paper now.

Comments

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I need to read that ^_^ I've heard of it, and it sounds fascinating.

The problem that grammar types have with using "their" is that it's the plural and that doesn't fit with singular subjects, etc. However, though I know it's not "correct", it doesn't at all bother me when people use "their" or "they", because "him or her" and "him/her" sounds incredibly awkward in persuasive writing. But my Grammar professor would be very upset with us if WE ever used "they" ^^;;