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How do you address someone whose gender is not specified, when you are writing something? Take this as an example:

The teacher said we should go; ____ said we are good pupils.

Would you insert he or she?

I’ve often read she in these cases, but is this a general rule?

Edwin Ashworth
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martina.physics
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  • The reason you often read she there is because grade-school teachers are often women. For a generic, unspecified gender, just use they. “If someone told you you could go home early, they must think that you’re good students.” – tchrist Mar 25 '13 at 19:02
  • @tchrist many people have taken to using she when the gender is unknown in the same way that historically we would use he. – terdon Mar 25 '13 at 19:04
  • @terdon That is jolting and ungrammatical, and quite annoying. Please never do that. – tchrist Mar 25 '13 at 19:04
  • @tchrist Based on previous experience with your posts I am afraid I am probably wrong but I don't see why it's ungrammatical (whether it is jolting or not is up to the reader of course). I posted this as a question, come convince me there so we don't spam the comments section. – terdon Mar 25 '13 at 19:15
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    @terdon: Yes, this is a question where 'according to whose grammar?' should be addressed before the label 'ungrammatical' is hurled in. I also find the usage jolting, but would argue that many would say that the choice of 'they' for the clumsy 'he / she' or 's/he' is equally if not more ungrammatical. – Edwin Ashworth Sep 27 '13 at 09:07

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