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'Everyone who doesn't cook their food'

Is it correct? If it's correct then can you explain why do we use doesn't but the possessive pronoun is Their?

tchrist
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Allison
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1 Answers1

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It is not really correct. Some word houses say that third person possessive is ok in general, and so much so for "mass nouns" like everyone (That is, although it is referring to "one" person, it is referring to every "one" of those persons...). I agree for speech.

It writing, I adopt parallel construction (really just conjugation)

This kind of tool is convenient to Everyone (of us) who does not cook his food

I believe "he," like "man," is gender neutral in this use, as meaning is of course contextual. You could add "or her" (though I would prefer to interchange).

This kind of tool is convenient to Everyone (of us) who does not cook his or her [xir] food

tidbertum
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    Not really correct, according to whom? Will you go and tell Byron his English is not correct when he pens Every one must judge according to their own feelings? – oerkelens Jul 23 '18 at 14:52
  • Sense #2 of their in the OED proves this answer is wrong. – tchrist Jul 23 '18 at 14:55
  • @oerkelens says english grammar? https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/pronouns/pronouns-possessive-my-mine-your-yours-etc could I pour you a cup of coffee? – tidbertum Jul 23 '18 at 14:59
  • @tchrist Is a non-login source available? – tidbertum Jul 23 '18 at 15:00
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    *“2. In relation to a singular noun or pronoun of undetermined gender: his or her. Cf. they pron. 2, them pron. 4; nobody pron. 1b, somebody n. Especially in relation to a noun phrase involving one of the indefinite determiners or pronouns each, every, either, neither, no one, every one, etc.”* Provided citations range in dates from ~1382 up through 2006. First one from a1382: Eche on in þer craft ys wijs. (Each one in their craft is wise.) Last one from 2006: Anyone who promotes their work as timeless is likely to be churning out the design equivalent of pan-pipe music. – tchrist Jul 23 '18 at 15:01
  • So then, we can add OED to: "Some word houses say that third person possessive is ok in general" ? I think I was thinking OED when I typed that up. Point me to the language tree, OED, whence thou plucketh thy Truth – tidbertum Jul 23 '18 at 15:05
  • @tchrist that is a pretty sweet PIE (?) citation though – tidbertum Jul 23 '18 at 15:07
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    a1400 (▸a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 389 Bath ware made sun and mon, Aiþer wit þer ouen light. (Both were made sun and moon, each with their own light.) c1475 (▸a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson Three Early Eng. Metrical Romances (1842) 47 Iche mon in thayre degre. (Each man in their degree). The bottom line is that Germanic grammar has NEVER worked like Latin/Romance grammar: they/their/them has never been exclusively reserved for more than one thing alone. Ever. We are not speaking Latin. – tchrist Jul 23 '18 at 15:15
  • Any grammar that doesn't describe language as it is actually used is, at best, incomplete. And there are a lot of those for the English language. Actual usage suggests that there is indeed nothing wrong with the singular use of they and its derived forms. I guess some people are still mad about you being used for a single person as well... – oerkelens Jul 23 '18 at 15:59
  • All fair points. But we are speaking English here, today, now. And it seems to me, and I do not fancy myself some knowledgeable purist, but it seems to me awkward, if not ill formed, to say "Each student had to hand in their homework." If the goal of language is to describe accurately, that phrase is not the most effective. The problem arises frequently when you expand the context beyond a thirteenth century microscope. "Every student had to hand their homework in to the reviewers. If they didn't like their response, there was no hope for appeal." Wait - who didn't what whose response? – tidbertum Jul 23 '18 at 18:36