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 #2 (permalink) Mon Sep 28, 2009 23:51 pm His or her? |
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Own can be used with any noun: it lays extra emphasis on the possessive pronoun that comes before it.
In your sentence, we do not know whether the child is male or female; by default, we use the male possessive pronoun for a person, his. |
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 Cerberus™
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| #3 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:11 am His or her? |
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Hi Cerberus. Thank you
So 'John loved her like a child would love his own mother' is right.
Then the same way we can say "If one wants to improve HIS English, HE should ...." Am I right? |
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Levon
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| #4 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 18:32 pm His or her? |
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A longer answer to your previous question is this.
- The conventional, traditional way is to use masculine pronouns when the sex is unknown. It has always been so.
- In official forms or contracts, "his/her", "he/she", or "he or she", et cetera are often used for clarity.
- In modern times, some have found it necessary to take the equality of the sexes to the extreme, condemning as sexist the use of masculine pronouns by default. As an alternative, they propose using plural pronouns, such as "their" and "they": "like a child love(s?) their mother", even though the person referred to is singular. I loathe this invention, but it is considered correct by many writers that are not so conventional. It can lead to problems of grammar. In many other European languages, using masculine pronouns here is common practice, too, without anyone's complaining, or at least not as much. But you should make your own choice.
Your sentence with "one" is according to the rule; however, although I guess using "his" and "he" is remotely possible here, it is much better to repeat "one" if you can:
- If one wants to improve one's English, one should ... |
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Cerberus™
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| #5 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 19:11 pm His or her? |
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Well there isn't a single way which could be undeniable...
So I think it's better to avoid this kind of sentences making them other way, using 'one' instead of he/she or taking plural nouns.
But both of them are used both in formal and informal cases.
And the same problem with somebody, anybody, nobody, a person e.t.c...
Anyway thanks a lot |
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Levon
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| #6 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 20:09 pm His or her? |
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"One's" is used only when it refers back to another "one", not when it refers back to "anyone" or any other word.
I advise against using "one" too often: you will sound very, very stiff. Even though I am against "their" and such, using "one" a lot is even worse.
Avoiding this time of reference is hardly possible, I wouldn't try that.
Many say and write "his", it is perfectly acceptable to most, including many who would use "their" themselves, or so I believe.
Traditional writers will all use "his"; many non-traditional ones will do so, too. Apart from sexism, it is certainly the option that is most agreeable to syntax.
Look around and see what you find and what you like. |
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Cerberus™
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| #7 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 22:05 pm His or her? |
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Well Thank you for the explanations and I'd like to ask another question.
It's about the expressions like 'one of the ...'. What's your opinion here?
I'm one of those many students who wants/want to improve THEIR English.
or this one:
What I need badly is/are some English Grammar books.
I read that both versions of verbs are correct and common.
I'd like to know your opinion as a native speaker. |
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Levon
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| #8 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 22:28 pm We have the continuing responsibility - no, the obligation - to make them LESS di |
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Hello, mister ALL!!!
Does anybody know where can I get prices for used japan cars? |
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DamsCyncaccOn
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| #9 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 22:50 pm Now phase II of the trial shows that switching drugs or adding a new drug makes a |
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Hello, mister ALL!!!
Does anybody know where can I get prices for used japan cars? |
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DamsCyncaccOn
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| #10 (permalink) Tue Sep 29, 2009 23:04 pm His or her? |
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I>>>>my>>>>mine
HE>>>>his>>>>his
SHE>>>her>>>hers
(do you know that man ? "yes , i know him , but i can't remember his name
(she was very happy because we invited her to stay with us at our house.) |
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Muhamed
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| #11 (permalink) Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:11 am His or her? |
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| Levon wrote: |
Well Thank you for the explanations and I'd like to ask another question.
It's about the expressions like 'one of the ...'. What's your opinion here?
I'm one of those many students who wants/want to improve THEIR English.
The question is: does "who" refer to "one", or to "students"? To test this, we could change the internal order of the sentence:
- Of those many students, I am one who wants to improve his English.
(If this is what you mean, "one" must be the antecedent of "who", so that the relative clause is singular. Note that "one's" instead of "his" would be wrong here, because "one" is not used impersonally.)
- Of those many students who want to improve their English, I am one.
(If this is what you mean, "those many students" must be the antecedent of "who", so that the relative clause is plural. I believe this is what your sentence is supposed to mean. Note that "the" instead of "those" is better in this case.)
or this one:
What I need badly is/are some English Grammar books.
We could render this sentence a bit differently:
- That which I need badly is some English grammar books.
("Which I need badly" is the relative clause, "that is some English grammar books" is the main clause. We see that "that" is the subject of the main clause, "some English grammar books" is the subject complement. As a rule, the finite verb follows the number of the subject, which is singular here: "is". When in doubt as to which word is subject, and which complement, it may generally be assumed that the first word of the two is subject.)
I read that both versions of verbs are correct and common.
When the subject complement is plural while the subject in singular, it is not always a grave error to write a plural finite verb; many will occasionally do it - but it is still wrong. "Our defeat in the woods were the steel cannons made by Portuguese specialists" is technically wrong: "was" is better.
I'd like to know your opinion as a native speaker. I am not, but I hope you won't dismiss my advice out of hand now. |
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Cerberus™
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| #12 (permalink) Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:34 am His or her? |
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Of course I won't dismiss your advice out of hand...
Where else could I find such explanations:)?
Thanks |
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Levon
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| #13 (permalink) Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:12 am His or her? |
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Hi evreyone
I won't to know about her & his more expression . |
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Kedirkemalnow
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| #14 (permalink) Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:52 am His or her? |
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Please note the difference between "won't" and "want". As for "his" and "her", they are possessive adjective and you will learn more about them here: Possessive Adjectives (Unit 4)
TOEIC listening, photographs: Ready to cook |
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Torsten
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