为什么用 they 而不用 he？

mxh3698

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NEAR HEIDELBERG, IN GERMANY, SOMEBODY WAS ONCE DIGGING A PIT when they came across a bone, deep down under the ground. It was a human bone. A jawbone. But no human beings today have jaws like this one. It was so massive and strong, and had such powerful teeth! Whoever owned it must have been able to bite really hard. And must have lived a long time ago for the bone to be buried so deep.

somebody显然是第三人称单数，在后面回指的时候，代词应该用he吧？
但是，这里用的是they，为什么呢？
) S% t# e  l2 k$ a; a* w+ }另，蓝笔高亮的，从语法学习上也值得注意：我们可以观察一下——别人是怎么用的？为什么这么用？我们可以如何去模仿？
一点拙见：这才是语法学习的正确打开方式。
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4 n8 l2 C( \/ h% h' P6 Lps：bone→human bone→a jawbone的写法也很生动，惟妙惟肖地再现了发现的过程，符合人的认知顺序。
6 |8 `9 R3 y- f5 _' T% N: R& S( W1 V想起了 竹喧归浣女，莲动下渔舟，呵呵
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大橙子

性别未知，所以用 they，这是近年来较新的用法

mxh3698

大橙子 发表于 2020-5-1 09:29
性别未知，所以用 they，这是近年来较新的用法

谢谢指教。

那么，下面的情况又如何解释呢——
4 [4 ~; S( ^# e+ f8 H7 zeverybody has their own story to tell about life.
everybody tells a story in their own way.

渔夫和妖怪

避免使用he/she, 使用he显得不重视女性。

mxh3698

渔夫和妖怪 发表于 2020-5-1 09:55
: I; S. X9 r3 g4 i6 U避免使用he/she, 使用he显得不重视女性。

9 i2 T5 e" J/ C% ]9 l谢谢回复。
个人觉得这是语言的经济原则——
0 u' x) ~2 s  N  B8 r- z; a7 k用he/she符合 politically correct，但是太cumbersome
用they既符合politically correct，没有用he指男女两性的sexism，又避免了用he/she的cumbersomeness

victortang

帮你复制一段朗文第六版：they下面的第四项定义：4used when talking about someone who may be male or female, to avoid saying ‘he or she’〔用于谈论人时泛指两性﹐以避免使用he or she〕:
9 S' \( n! M8 e% r" Q( C5 l- y$ N* w If anyone has any information related to the crime, will they please contact the police.本案如有知情人士请与警方联系。
$ A  z1 |* V  @ Every child, whoever they are, deserves to have a mum and a dad.每个孩子﹐无论他是谁﹐都应该有爸爸和妈妈。

mxh3698

victortang 发表于 2020-5-1 20:53
9 @" J" x1 k" C% g* K* M帮你复制一段朗文第六版：they下面的第四项定义：4used when talking about someone who may be male or fe ...

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( _! D$ L. c( T' p5 m+ X; D以上截图来自 Oxford Guide to English Grammar

mxh3698

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pan

Yes indeed. It's common usage nowadays.

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