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Post by Justin on Sept 9, 2008 21:58:51 GMT -5
Hey guys, I really need your help.
My girlfriend is taking an American College Writing course, and she is having a tough time. She learned the Canadian way for most of the questions so I thought I would ask here for input.
The question is:
Choose the correct pronoun for this sentence
None of the employees has received __________ last paycheck.
- his or her
or
- their
Thanks so much you guys, and any help would be welcome. She is having a really tough time with this course.
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Post by Falcom Director of Fanservice on Sept 9, 2008 22:06:56 GMT -5
His or her.
Edit: Actually...I am pretty sure either would work now that I think on it.
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Post by Justin on Sept 9, 2008 22:11:26 GMT -5
I know its hard as hell, but we both think its His or Her as well. Its a damn tough question...
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Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 9, 2008 23:00:13 GMT -5
It completely depends on context.
In a general sense "their" is the correct answer.
However, both are correct, because it depends on who you're speaking to.
If the implication is none , out of all of the employees, have received their individual checks, then "their" is correct.
However, if the implication is that none of the employees have received HIS or HER singular check(i.e. None of the employees got HER check(by mistake)). Then his/her is correct.
If the teacher tells you one is more correct than the other, they're lying, because both are grammatical given the context of that single sentence.
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Post by gnosis301 on Sept 9, 2008 23:07:34 GMT -5
I apologize for adding to the confusion. "None" can be used as either plural or singular, but if you look at the verb, "has," one must assume that the writer intended for "none" to refer to a singular entity, namely the collective of employees who received checks. Since the writer intends "has" to modify "none," then the pronoun choice of "his or her" must apply. BUT!! It's quite popular (and recognized by Merriam Webster) to use "their" as a substitute for "his or her." Personally, I'm inclined to agree, because I feel that "their" rolls off the tongue a little better than "his or her."
But in spoken American-English, you better bet your ass I'm saying "None of the employees have received their checks."
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Post by gnosis301 on Sept 9, 2008 23:12:26 GMT -5
gnosis wins, by three minutes.  Heheheheheh... -Tom IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!! "paycheck" isn't plural, either. I missed this. VERY good call. |
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Post by Justin on Sept 10, 2008 0:12:48 GMT -5
Kick ass, she will be really happy to see this!! I would have never guessed that, but its really going to help her.
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Post by macroidtoe on Sept 10, 2008 0:24:38 GMT -5
Yeah, "his or her" is indeed the "correct" answer according to the standard rules. Although I had a linguistics professor who claimed that the various forms of "they" are beginning to gain recognition as a legitimate "placeholder" for English's lack of a gender-neutral third-person singular. It's kind of a "rule in flux," and it will be interesting to see if text books ten years from now disagree with current text books. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singular_they |
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Post by Skeletore has a boner on Sept 10, 2008 5:39:11 GMT -5
I'm surprised a linguistics professor would discuss that ;0.
Since according to linguistics as long as the listener can understand the intent of the speaker any horrible combination of words is considered "Grammatical"(l33t sp34k 1s grammatical).
The difference is prescriptive vs descriptive grammar.
Prescriptive grammar is "Stylistic" and is enforced by authority. Prescriptive grammar is "how you should speak"
Descriptive grammar is the core grammar of a language that often *conflicts* with things like "proper English", it's the function of how people *actually* speak, and it always trumps prescriptive grammar. i.e. How things are, not how they should be.
Things like "English Grammar" is a misnomer, because English Grammar refers to Descriptive grammar.
When referencing prescriptive grammar, the correct term is "English Style", or "Style Elements".
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Post by macroidtoe on Sept 10, 2008 12:07:13 GMT -5
Right, that's what I meant -- it was actually really more of a sociolinguistics course now that I think back, so both descriptive and prescriptive grammar were of interest. She often discussed the distinction between "the rules" and "how people actually talk," and the way that the latter can eventually creep into the former (but only after overcoming intense resistance). All I know is it would make things a heck of a lot easier if the Grand Mysterious Grammar Organization would officially give "singular they" the okay.... no more awkward "his or her" or "s/he" in research papers.  |
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Heheheheheh...
