cross-posted from: https://lemy.lol/post/196311
I'm from Turkey so English isn't my native language. We just call O in Turkish to no matter its he/she/it. Is there an equivalent of this generic term on English?
I don't want to call he to a female or vice versa.
14 Comments
MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 3y
They as in "what they said"
iso@lemy.lol · 1 pts · 3y
For instance I want to say someone is bad to a person. If I know he is a male, then I can say
He is a bad person. But with your example, I should saythey are bad personor what? It looks plural.MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 3y
Yeah exactly. They can be plural when referring to more than one person or singular when referring to just one.
scribs@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 3y
But for some reason the verb stays plural... you don't say "They is a bad person".
MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 3y
Because English!
iso@lemy.lol · 1 pts · 3y
Hmmm interesting. Can/should I use a/an with this like
they areabad person? My English teacher would beat me for this lolMyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 3y
That's also fine
ravachol@feddit.de · 2 pts · 3y
I’d say you have to use a, no?
MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 3y
Yes
Pepperette@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 3y
You use "an" when the word after sounds like it starts with a vowel. "They are a bad person" is correct, "They are aN awesome person" is correct.
English is dumb.
pglpm@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 3y
See entry B1 in the Cambridge dictionary and entry 3 in the Merriam-Webster one, for example.
Aeva_the_Broken@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 3y
It can feel a little clunky, but I do this all the time when typing online. Particularly on discord or somewhere where I have no idea of a members gender.
"I first noticed this member join our server a week ago but they have not posted a lot. The few posts that they have made show that they are interested in the game, but I think they are looking for a different experience. I wish them well in their search for a different group."