From cbmvax!uunet!PICA.ARMY.MIL!protin Fri Aug 16 18:48:05 1991 Return-Path: Date: Fri Aug 16 18:48:05 1991 From: "Arthur W. Protin Jr." (GC-ACCURATE) To: Steven Mesnick Cc: lojban-list@snark.thyrsus.com Subject: Re: response to Dave Matuszek Message-Id: <9108161815.aa29003@COR4.PICA.ARMY.MIL> Status: RO Folks, Steven Mesnick offers this: > Just one thing: English hasn't changed in 400 years? How about the use of > the 3rd person plural as a neuter 3rd person singular? ("When a person uses > the masculine to include the feminine, THEY ARE being sexist"). This usage > has become very common recently, to the extent that, I daresay, it can no > longer be consider "incorrect". That's just one example. What an interesting idea. But I am sure that when I first hear I will, repeat will, reject it as incorrect grammar. This change may yet happen, but it is so uncommon now that it is too early to tell. I will doubt that it is a significant development until it starts to show up in the popular press (NYtimes, LATimes, Boston Glob, WSJ, NYNewsday, the Post, etc) and/or popular TV and/or government pronouncements. thank you, Art Arthur Protin These are my personal views and do not reflect those of my boss or this installation.