Re: style (was stylus)
Alain Gayster (agayster@club-internet.fr)
Tue, 10 Jun 1997 21:50:20 -0700
Peter Marshall wrote:
>
> In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.94.970530101029.19092A-100000@panix2.panix.com>
>
> <<
> Hmmmm. My powers of higher reasoning tell me that, since both the original
> question and his "answer" were to the list, a reply to the list is in
> order, especially since there may be non-English-as-a-first-language
> readers who find the discussion of current usage relevant and useful. >>
>
> Judy
>
> I think this whole controversy raises issues that are not particularly
> appropriate to the list. English is an internationally used language and I a m
> afraid we will find no clear consensus about this particular matter of usage
> world wide.
>
> I'm sure that your comments are true so far as those writing in some circles
> in the USA are concerned Judy. but they would not be considered mainstream in
> the UK, although there are some circles where they would be heartily approved
> of. However I read very day documents in which the older convention is still
> in use and this is certainly still a normal practice here (if one that I
> personally avoid, although I still happily continue use of mankind, human
> etc.)
>
> My fairly recent copy of 'Current English Usage' says on this matter that
> there are 3 possible responses (I summarise and slightly re-organise)
> a) "to continue with the traditional practice, as any careful writers still
> do"
> b) to adopt such forms as 'he or she', 's/he', or use he and she alternately
> "as some academics and journalists in the main have done" (it does points out
> at some length the possible confusions this may cause)
> c) to avoid use of singular third person pronouns in various ways (including
> the use of the plural pronoun 'their' with 'anyone', 'each', 'every' etc.
>
> The authors comment: "To make a deliberate choice of policy (a) or policy (b)
> above is probably motivated by beliefs and assumptions that go beyond
> questions of style in language. Unless you want to make an ideological
> statement in support of the traditional or modernist position it is best to
> follow the most linguistically neutral choice of policy (c).
>
> So - I think both you and Luis are correct - within particular spheres of
> English usage. On this list, so far as I'm concerned - everyone is free to use
> pronouns in the way _they_ feel fit.
>
> Peter Marshall
>
> On Fixing Shadows and elsewhere:
> http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~ds8s/
> Family Pictures, German Indications, London demonstrations &
> The Buildings of London etc: http://www.spelthorne.ac.uk/pm//pm/
Ca vous génerait beaucoup de parler de photographie ? Il n'y a pas que
des anglophones sur cette liste, alors restez-en au problèmes photo, et
notamment procédés historiques. Merci. parce que j'en ai marre de lire
des conneries, en anglais de surcroit, qui n'ont rien à voir avec le
sujet qui doit nous intéresser normalement.
alain
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Alain GAYSTER à Paris (France) agayster@club-internet.fr
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