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TIP: Don't assume pronouns (DBO)

by Kermit @, Raleigh, NC, Wednesday, July 23, 2014, 11:50 (3795 days ago) @ Grizzlei

Until 50 years ago every literate person knew that "he" was gender-neutral when referring to a person of unknown gender. Only women were considered important enough to have a pronoun that referred only to them.


Every literate person in the English-speaking world, perhaps, and probably only men at that. Women weren't very well regarded or afforded much respect 50 years ago [or today] and I'm guessing that's why masculine pronouns were made the standard.

Then everyone got stupid. ;)


Pardon?


Just joshing. To make a serious point, male and female English speakers knew that using "he" to refer to a non-specific person was inclusive of both genders and was not meant to indicate that the person was male. See also "mankind."


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