# Everyone, someone: his, her or their?



## Ottavio Amato

In the sentence: When everyone contributes[ … ]own ideas, the discussion will be a success which pronoun could be inserted?
A. His
B. Their
C. Both


Sono quasi certo che la risposta sia His (il verbo è alla terza persona singolare, no?). E' così? 

Grazie in anticipo!
Ottavio​


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## Paul in Oz

When everyone contributes their own ideas, the discussion will be a success


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## saia

Io concordo con te Ottavio Amato, ho sempre saputo che "everyone" si comporta come un singolare, forse un madrelingua potrà aiutarci...


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## Mack the Knife

una domanda ulteriore (scusate l'ignoranza) _contributes_ o _contributes with_?..e se il verbo ha la _s, _non si tratta forse di terza persona singolare?

ciao a tutti


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## sound shift

To avoid accusations of sexism, we could say "When everyone contributes _his or her_ own ideas ....", but that sounds rather awkward. Instead we can use "their" as a gender-neutral singular: "When everyone contributes _their _own ideas ....". The use of "their" as a singular is widespread, but purists don't like it. I see nothing wrong with it.


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## Fedora

Ottavio Amato said:
			
		

> In the sentence: _When everyone contributes[ … ]own ideas, the discussion will be a success _which pronoun could be inserted?
> A. _His_
> B. _Their_
> _C. Both_
> 
> 
> Sono quasi certo che la risposta sia _His (il verbo è alla terza persona singolare, no?)__._ E' così?
> 
> Grazie in anticipo!
> Ottavio​


To answer your question: Yes, everyone is singular. 

As to whether you should use_ his_ or _their_ that really depends on what you were taught. Some people prefer _their_, others prefer _his/her,_ and others prefer _his_.  

As sound shift said some purists frown on using _their_ (although that is what you would normally hear and even see). 

There is an entire thread on this in English Only: Thread. 

Personally I would pick _their_.


Hope that helps


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## giannid

For me, _his_ is correct.


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## utente

Everyone is a collective noun, and is singular.   It is true that many people use "their" but I am a "purist" and use "his".

Everyone (ognuno) è un nome collettivo, ed è singolare.  E' vero che molte gente usano "their" ma io sono "purist" ed io uso "his".

--Steven


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## Auno

The font was so small on the original I gave this one away.

This is a very old chestnut.  I appreciate the purist line of thinking but my preference is 'their'.  Simply on the basis of what I'll call 'modern day convenience'.  50 years ago I'd have said 'his'.


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## Auno

Eh? If that means "definitely", then there's nothing definite about "their"

In strictly grammatical terms let's say, "his" is actually 'correct'. In usage however my preference is as indicated. And I expect it will become even a grammatical standard before much longer.


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## utente

Auno è corretto.  Le lingue cambiano.  Io cambio più lentamente , è insisto per usare "him" invece "them".

--Steven


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## Bookmom

Mack the Knife said:
			
		

> una domanda ulteriore (scusate l'ignoranza) _contributes_ o _contributes with_?..e se il verbo ha la _s, _non si tratta forse di terza persona singolare?
> 
> ciao a tutti


 
Contributes to is correct...When everyone contributes to the discussion honestly... or as an alternative, when everyone contributes with honesty to the discussion.

She contributes to the community generously with time and energy.

You contribute to and collaborate with.

And I would always say their, maybe his or her, never just his unless it were an exclusively male audience.


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## Forengi

Entrambi sono giusto.


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## ElaineG

Sono un dinosauro e direi: "his or her own ideas" o anche "his" (non mi ammazzate, ma non penso che il mio posto nel mondo dipendi da un pronome).  Però, "their own ideas" è molto molto comune.


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## utente

ElaineG said:
			
		

> Sono un dinosauro e direi: "his or her own ideas" o anche "his" (non mi ammazzate, ma non penso che il mio posto nel mondo dipendi da un pronome). Però, "their own ideas" è molto molto comune.


 
Elaine-- grazie!  Qui a San Francisco c'è molto pressione usare parole che sono politically correct ma, secondo me, "everybody is entitled to their o his or her opinion" souna male.


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## Bookmom

utente said:
			
		

> Elaine-- grazie! Qui a San Francisco c'è molto pressione usare parole che sono politically correct ma, secondo me, "everybody is entitled to their o his or her opinion" souna male.


 
In an informal poll held in my little bookstore in the overwhelmingly blue state of Massachusetts every single respondent, 30 or 35 asked over the lunch hour, unabashedly  chose their.


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## cirrus

Bookmom said:
			
		

> In an informal poll held in my little bookstore in the overwhelmingly blue state of Massachusetts every single respondent, 30 or 35 asked over the lunch hour, unabashedly  chose their.


I have been up in my eyes proofreading something at work for the last week. I took out all the his or hers to replace them with theirs if only because it is neater.

As to your question whether contributes needs a with, I would say the "with" is redundant: Each person contributes his/ her/ their own ideas.


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## DAH

Each contributes his own ideas.
Each donkey contibutes his own ideas.
Each female contributes her own ideas.
One contibutes his own ideas.
Members of the budget committee contribute their own ideas.
http://www.eslus.com/LESSONS/GRAMMAR/POS/pos6.htm


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## Troupian

Ciao Ottavio.
There are no ifs and buts about this one. "Everyone" requires "his".


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## giannid

Damn right!


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## maronzolo

I have one doubt. I need to say:

"Do you judge someone form his/its (?) appearance?"

"someone" is not specified, so what should I use? its?
thanks, I'll buy a grammar today


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## SteveD

I think that, to be grammatically correct, you should say, "...to judge someone from his or her appearance."

However, we usually say, "...to judge someone from their appearance."


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## TimLA

Or a different way, not better:

Do you judge someone by their appearance?


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## Paulfromitaly

Troverai molte informazioni qui

Everybody - singular or plural - gender neutral?
Gender neutral pronouns - their vs. his/her
Everyone everybody - singular or plural - gender neutral?
Collective nouns - Gender neutral pronouns - everyone - his, her, its, their
Gender Sensitive 3rd person singular pronouns - she, he, them, they, he/she, s/hehttp://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=515363


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## Giacomino

Ciao a tutti, ecco la mia domanda:
"Someone left their umbrella on the bass" è corretto.
E' corretto anche "Someone left its umbrella on the bass" ?


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## francescazzurra

Ciao! Benvenuto nel forum!
"Bass" in italiano viene tradotto con "basso", lo strumento musicale. Forse intendevi "bus", l'autobus?

Io direi "someone left his umbrella". 
"someone left their umbrella" sembra "qualcuno ha dimenticato il loro (di qualcun altro, terza persona plurale) ombrello". Ma aspetta un nativo.



Guarda un pò qua http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1159841


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## stella_maris_74

Credo che _their _sia la forma politically correct del plurale: non si sa se quel qualcuno sia un uomo (nel qual caso si sarebbe usato _his_) o una donna (_her_), e quindi si dice _their_.

_Its _è sicuramente sbagliato perché non si usa come possessivo per le persone.

PS: Benvenuto, Giacomino!


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## london calling

francescazzurra said:


> "Bass" in italiano viene tradotto con "basso", lo strumento musicale. Forse intendevi "bus", l'autobus?
> 
> Io direi "someone left his umbrella".
> "someone left their umbrella" sembra "qualcuno ha dimenticato il loro (di qualcun altro, terza persona plurale) ombrello". Ma aspetta un nativo.


_Its_ (e per analogia _it_) non si usa riferito a persone, ma ad oggetti (o animali, ma anche qui dipende dal rapporto hai con la bestia in questione: non direi mai "it" o its" parlando del mio micione)!


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## fer1975

Someone left their umbrella è corretto perchè non si sa o non si specifica chi effettivamente ha lasciato l'ombrello.


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## Leo57

Giacomino said:


> Ciao a tutti, ecco la mia domanda:
> "Someone left their umbrella on the bus" è corretto.
> E' corretto anche "Someone left _its_ umbrella on the bus" ?



Hi there and welcome to the forum
To address Francescazzurra's point: For "someone/somebody" we always use "their" (and _they _when appropriate)
Ciao
Leo

p.s. I didn't know about all the other posts because I kept getting cut off the internet!


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## Giacomino

Grazie a tutte e due per la risposta in tempo record.
Chiaramente bass era bus, sono il solito distratto.

Grazie ancora e....al prossimo dubbio atroce


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## pescara

I believe the gramatically proper way to say this is: Somebody left his umbrella on the bus.  However, it has become very common usage to say: somebody left their umbrella on the bus.  

Ciao.


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## london calling

pescara said:


> I believe the gramatically proper way to say this is: Somebody left his umbrella on the bus. However, it has become very common usage to say: somebody left their umbrella on the bus. Yes, you're quite right!


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## francescazzurra

Imparo sempre cose nuove! Grazie!
Non avrei mai detto: "Somebody left their..." prima. Grazie!


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## Phil Rusling

As many contributors have observed, it largely depends on the circumstances. Basically, you should use your noggin. His or her often seems a very clumsy attempt to be politically correct, and since "their" has been used with anyone for hundreds of years, I can see no reason to rule it incorrect. I once had to translate a first-aid manual in which "his or her" would have appeared on just about every line "place the victim on his or her back" etc.; the overall effect of refusing to use "their" would have been to render the text extremely tedious, or even comic.


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