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Subject:A grammar-gender question From:"Dave L. Meek's User Account" <dave -at- ROGUE -dot- DISC-SYNERGY -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 26 Jun 1995 12:20:17 -0700
Richard Anderson writes:
>I want to say, "To view a user's group and rights, highlight their name;
>their individual information will appear in the Group and Rights portions
>of the window." But using "their" with "a user" is bad grammar.
>It's more grammatically correct to say, "To view a user's group and
>rights, highlight his or her name; his or her individual information will
>appear in the Group and Rights portions of the window. But "his or her"
>turns the sentence into a gender issue and it always sound awkward.
>Old problem. No solution. Suggestions?
How about
"To view a user's group and rights, highlight the (or
'the user's') name; the individual's information will appear in
the Group and Rights portions of the window."
Or
"To view a user's group and rights, highlight the individual's
name; the user's information will appear in the Group and Rights
portions of the window."
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"Get a long little doggie!"
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Dave Meek
