Wilbers: Readers question 'shrunk' and use of singular 'their,' 'they'

Article by: STEPHEN WILBERS , Special to the Star Tribune
Updated: January 29, 2012 - 7:38 PM

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jschlechtFeb. 3, 12 2:56 AM

Agreed on the usage of 'their' and 'they'. I live in Germany, where nearly everything has a 'gender'. Personal pronouns must be either masculine or feminine. Even occupation names are modified to reflect gender (Lehrer/Lehrerin). It makes for writing that is often excruciatingly difficult and boring to read. One of the greatest assets of English is its flexibility. This is particularly true today when attention spans for the written word are waning. A writer should use the flexibility of the English language to their advantage.