TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:43 am

I was set to send a PM to one user and I got this:

Quote: You are not able to PM user hxxxxxxy as you are on their ignore list.

Is this meant to be one person or some larger group that this user is merely a part of? I was attempting to contact the user about purchasing some parts.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:53 am

This means that you are specifically on their ignore list.

No groups.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:55 am

EverettB wrote: This means that you are specifically on their ignore list.

No groups. I think what Sage is getting at is pronoun usage. Their should actually be his.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:45 am

Icy wrote: EverettB wrote: This means that you are specifically on their ignore list.

No groups. I think what Sage is getting at is pronoun usage. Their should actually be his.

what if the user is female?

Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:00 pm

If they don't care for you and your samba presence in posting and have you on ignore why would you want to buy parts from them anyway?

or .... what makes you think they would sell to you? :P :lol: :wink:

Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:17 pm

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/their
Quote: 2. (used after an indefinite singular antecedent in place of the definite masculine form his or the definite feminine form her): Someone left their book on the table. Did everyone bring their lunch?

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:08 pm

Icy wrote: EverettB wrote: This means that you are specifically on their ignore list.

No groups. I think what Sage is getting at is pronoun usage. Their should actually be his.

their is correct in it's useage in the OP's example...

EDIT:...ahem... see Jeckler's post... :oops:

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:03 pm

The Sage wrote: I was set to send a PM to one user and I got this:

Quote: You are not able to PM user hxxxxxxy as you are on their ignore list.

Is this meant to be one person or some larger group that this user is merely a part of? I was attempting to contact the user about purchasing some parts.

your title should be exempt from being corrected?

Quote:
Gramar or something else?

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:16 pm

blankmange wrote: your title should be exempt from being corrected?
Quote:
Gramar or something else?

Hahahahahaa.... the best post in this thread.

As the resident grammarian, I will add that regardless of what some pop online dictionary has to say about it, the use of "their" as a singular possessive pronoun is simply incorrect. However, it has clearly entered common usage as a non-gendered option, since none exists. "Correct" and "accepted in use" are two different concepts.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:22 pm

QueSeraSera wrote: blankmange wrote: your title should be exempt from being corrected?
Quote:
Gramar or something else?

Hahahahahaa.... the best post in this thread.

thank you; I'm sure there is an excuse on the way, stemming from living in the greatest city in Amerika...

Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:24 pm

QueSeraSera wrote: blankmange wrote: your title should be exempt from being corrected?
Quote:
Gramar or something else?

Hahahahahaa.... the best post in this thread.

As the resident grammarian, I will add that regardless of what some pop online dictionary has to say about it, the use of "their" as a singular possessive pronoun is simply incorrect. However, it has clearly entered common usage as a non-gendered option, since none exists. "Correct" and "accepted in use" are two different concepts.

That is how languages evolve.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:09 pm

blankmange wrote:
your title should be exempt from being corrected?

I noticed that, but *assumed* that it was for effect... if not, isn't that ironic?
:lol:

QueSeraSera wrote: "Correct" and "accepted in use" are two different concepts. I don't know, but it was "correct" when they taught it to me in school... then again, it was a public school, so who knows?

:lol:

Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:18 pm

QueSeraSera wrote: blankmange wrote: your title should be exempt from being corrected?
Quote:
Gramar or something else?

Hahahahahaa.... the best post in this thread.

As the resident grammarian, I will add that regardless of what some pop online dictionary has to say about it, the use of "their" as a singular possessive pronoun is simply incorrect. However, it has clearly entered common usage as a non-gendered option, since none exists. "Correct" and "accepted in use" are two different concepts.

Would Merriam-Webster be considered a more reliable source? :)

Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:40 pm

Jeckler wrote: Would Merriam-Webster be considered a more reliable source? :)
Oh relax. I wasn't insulting you personally, and I'm not going after the authors of dictionaries, either. The point is, dictionaries report on usage. "LOL" (yes, "laughing out loud") is in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, as well, along with a gaggle of modernized racial slurs, et cetera. This is the reason "dumb" is reported down the list as being related to "stupid", even though it has to do with the inability to speak. Dictionaries are not grammar texts.

As for buginva's comment about public school: It is unfortunate if you feel that your experience was lacking, but as a public school teacher, I do teach my students grammar. They learn that "their" as a singular possessive pronoun (always functioning as an adjective) is often accepted in usage, but is incorrect grammatically. On that note, I often use "their" this way in my speech, as nearly all of us do. We usually do not speak grammatically.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:54 pm

QueSeraSera wrote: As for buginva's comment about public school: It is unfortunate if you feel that your experience was lacking, but as a public school teacher, I do teach my students grammar.

it was a "joke"... :wink: