The singular 'they' now officially correct.

[Gee Whillickers]

Rejoice, party, and imbibe. The American Dialect Society, and over 200 cunning linguists, have decided that one can now correctly use the singular 'they.' No more awkward he or she, he/she, etc.

[Cole Parker]

Writers have known and used that fact for years. Your cunning linguists weren't so cunning after all. Simply linguists.

C

[ChrisR]

Let us all rip, rip, rip out the offending chapters from our schools' linguistic references and be joyful. That such an august body has ruled on this critical matter should make one and all thankful. After all, their membership requirement states quite clearly that:

Anyone can join the society!

Now if they could but standardize the pronunciation of "ough" and repeal the verdammt "i before e" rule I would be ever grateful. Or is it greatful?

[Graeme]

As my editor can attest, I have a bad habit of using gender-neutral terms all the time. I tend to use "they" rather than "he" or "she" more often than not. I don't know why -- I suspect at some point someone got onto me about being gender-neutral and it stuck.

[FreeThinker]

Does this mean mean we have to add yet another letter to LGBTQI for "gender neutral" or is that covered by transgender? Or is that another shade of transgender, like Queer and Gay? And what does the "I" stand for?

"They" actually may be more appropriate in describing me than just "he" as I have been often told that I have multiple personalities-- jackass, bitch, naughty person, etc.

[Graeme]

I = Intersex

[ChrisR]

Wow, G.W. - the Australians are right on top of your announcement! In today's online news (http://www.news.com.au/) they have a story on their homepage entitled:

THIS Broadway theatregoer became a part of the show following their dramatic reaction to hunky actor Russell Tovey disrobing.

Sure enough, open the story and it goes on to say:

BROADWAY show A View From the Bridge was briefly halted Saturday night when a male audience member, in the onstage seating section at New York’s Lyceum Theatre, fainted at the sight of actor Russell Tovey as he took off his shirt.

Evidently the view from the audience was pretty good too! (emphases added)

[Cole Parker]

Man, does that ever sound like a staged, show-promoting gimmick to me. It was bound to get press, which it did, and ticket sales should jump.

These promoters can't let any opportunities pass unexploited.

That being said, where can I find a naked picture of that guy?

Not the one who fainted.

C

[Graeme]

Go to http://images.google.com and type in Russell Tovey. It'll bring up lots of pictures, including several of him topless and some of him in just his underwear... There's also one of him naked, but I'm sure you won't be interested in that one.

[Cole Parker]

Too right!

C