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Is there a correct gender-neutral, singular pronoun (“his” versus “her” versus “their”)?

Is there a generalized way to do this.

Who is it used in modern media (internet, tv, movies, songs), in a colloqial context, (among family and friends), and in a formal environment (work office)

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“Singular they” (with its inflections) is the pronoun which is genderless and not necessarily singular or plural.

MetaEd
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  • There's a statement that "However, “singular they” also enjoys a long history of criticism." (http://english.stackexchange.com/a/55/14666) – Kris Dec 06 '12 at 06:38
  • And what if I saw someone in a distance but I could not determine if it was a woman or a man? What should I say: I saw a man. or I saw a woman. or I saw a person. or maybe I saw a figure.? – krokoziabla Dec 06 '12 at 08:43
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    @krokoziabla: You'd say "I saw a person," or "I saw someone." The singular they might work like this: "I saw someone; they were jumping up and down." – J.R. Dec 06 '12 at 09:21
  • @MrLister "They" have done so, repeatedly, but none of the inventions has caught on yet. Hardly surprising, given that it took the better part of four hundred years for English to settle on the set we've got. – StoneyB on hiatus Dec 06 '12 at 10:48