![blog-image](https://theeditingco.com/admin/public/uploads/media-189347206866d70e5235d51.jpg)
by Amy Verhaeghe
Published at 2016-04-27
The use of "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun has been the subject of much debate in the publishing world over the last couple of years. The 16th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style insists that "the only gender-neutral third-person singular personal pronoun in English is it, which doesn’t refer to humans" and that attempts to find a gender-neutral singular pronoun "won’t succeed" and "invite credibility problems" (section 5.227).
Opinions seem to be shifting, however, since the 16th edition was published in 2010. For example, last year the Washington Post Style Guide included "they" as a singular pronoun and the American Dialect Society voted to make "they," in its singular form, the word of the year for 2015. And, of course, most people already use "they" as a singular pronoun (i.e., most people would say "everyone wants their plants to grow" rather than "everyone wants his or her plants to grow").
Proponents argue that using "they" as a singular pronoun is more reflective of the way English is actually used. This usage is also inclusive of people who do not fall on either side of the gender binary. This is because people who identify as genderqueer, agender, non-binary, genderfluid, or another gender identity that is neither male nor female might use gender-neutral pronouns such as "they" or "hir" (pronounced “HERE”) in place of "he" or "her."
Opponents of the shift towards using "they" as a singular personal pronoun, however, argue that it is grammatically incorrect and colloquial, and therefore inappropriate for formal writing.
Language, of course, evolves as the ways in which people speak and write shift. New words are added to the Oxford English Dictionary each year with little controversy. Some new words from 2015 include:
crowdfunding |
The practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, each of whom contributes a relatively small amount, typically via the Internet.
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e-cigarette
|
A cigarette-shaped device containing a nicotine-based liquid or other substance that is vaporized and inhaled, used to simulate the experience of smoking.
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freegan
|
Of or relating to the practice of eating discarded food, typically collected from the refuse of shops or restaurants, for ethical or ecological reasons; (of a person) engaging in this practice.
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hot mess
|
A person or thing that is spectacularly unsuccessful or disordered, especially one that is a source of peculiar fascination.
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jeggings
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Tight-fitting stretch trousers for women, styled to resemble a pair of denim jeans.
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photobomb |
Spoil a photograph of (a person or thing) by unexpectedly appearing in the camera's field of view as the picture is taken, typically as a prank or practical joke.
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staycation
|
A holiday spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.
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**For more on gender-neutral pronouns, check out our blog post The Tyranny of "He" or "She"**