Which pronoun should be used when we don't know the gender of the subject?

[bbson john]

Someone stole my watch. He/she/it must be an ass. ???

 

[kirovman]

I'm not sure if it's proper usage, but I would probably say "They"

 

[CyberPitz]

If I wasn't sure of the gender, I'd have to say, "It".

They sounds better, though

 

[Qonfused]

They.

 

[<RJMC>]

UGP

Unidentified Gender Person

 

[Stigmata]

Ideally, "it". But my default response is to say "he".

 

[Xendance]

They or he.

 

[Tyguy]

heshe

 

[Pulse]

I suppose it would be commonplace to use 'They', only I dislike it as it implies that more than one person was involved in the thieving of said watch, which contradicts the original use of 'someone'.

Use 'whomever' to sound classy

 

[Cole]

I belive it would be.
"He or She:. As in you actually say that.

For example, "Then he or she should go to the room". That means your talking about one person going to a room. Yes this does discriminate against shemales("Then he, she, or shemale should go to the room").

"Then they should go to the room" is talking about more than one person going to a room.

 

[JNightshade]

"shmee".

 

[AntiAnto]

"My watch was stolen."
or
"Someone stole my watch."

 

[99.vikram]

A shemale stole my watch!

 

[Krynn72]

"My watch was stolen."
or
"Someone stole my watch."

hes asking about the second part of the sentence.

I dont know if its grammatically correct, but most people would say "They must be an ass."

It technically implies that there is more than one person, but most people will put it into context naturally, since you said "someone" and "ass" instead of "asses".

 

[kirovman]

So did you find out who stole your watch?

 

[Krynn72]

Yeah, it was that ass.

*points at cyberpitz*

 

[Seppo]

that damn ass

 

[Sulkdodds]

X stole my watch.

DOCTOR X.

 

[giant384]

A shemale stole my watch!

lol winn

i would say 'someone' or 'person'

 

[Dalamari]

"****ing ****"

male or female, it works

 

[ríomhaire]

Masculine is the default gender of English. Some people will tell you that that's sexist. It's not, they're just overly sensitive.

 

[Pauly]

He is usually refered to as a default gender. (God is a he for example)
It usually refers to an object or something that is non- homo sapien. AKA an animal such as a dog or monkey.
They is probably the best choice if you dont want to offend. Although use it if you WISH to offend.

 

[theotherguy]

Officially he is the pronoun. It dates back from germanic cultures who called all people "man". But nowadays you'd want to say "he or she". Saying "they" is gramatically incorrect. "somone" or "somebody" or "a person" also works.

 

[Unfocused]

"Someone, who must be an ass, stole my watch" :thumbs:

 

[AntiAnto]

If the antecedent is a person who could be of either gender (e.g., teacher, doctor, student), we are obligated to use "he or she," "him or her," "his or her," as appropriate.

Although it was once customary to use the pronouns he, him, and his to refer to an antecedent that could represent a person of either gender, it is now unacceptable in many circles (including business writing) to do that. Therefore, when the antecedent refers to a singular person of unidentified gender (words such as person, student, manager, doctor, worker, boss, child, and many others) we are stuck with he or she, his or her, and him or her – which can become tiresome and awkward. We may not use they, their, or them to refer to a person, a student, a manager, etc. However, there are usually ways around he or she, his or her, and him or her that do not violate pronoun-antecedent agreement rules.

http://www.grammarmudge.cityslide.com/articles/article/2569239/35950.htm

 

[cheddarrr]

i use "he" and i think that its still gramatically ok.

 

[ríomhaire]

The whole 'he or she' thing is just bullcrap political correctness.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

ALWAYS...ALWAYS ALWAYS use DR.TRAN.

 

[Krynn72]

He is usually refered to as a default gender. (God is a he for example)
They is probably the best choice if you dont want to offend. Although use it if you WISH to offend.

lol "Someone stole my watch. God must be an ass."

 

[venturon]

In Australia, 'they' is widely accepted in place of 'he or she'. I'm actually pretty sure you're meant to use it here. Using 'he' as the default gender is very confusing in a modern context, and frankly, sounds utterly ridiculous.

 

[Taboo]

That all depends. If it was an individual it would be "he or she" but if it was... a lamp... you would say "it"... and if it were a party of the aformentioned it would be "they." So Im thinking "he or she" is your best bet.

What an ass.