python vs c#

[Sam Holden]

On Mon, 04 Oct 2004 21:05:48 -0700, Tim Roberts <timr at probo.com> wrote:
> Sam Holden <sholden at flexal.cs.usyd.edu.au> wrote:
>>>
>>> Second, "their" is allowed as a singular pronoun only in those cases where
>>> a gender-specific pronoun is called for, but the gender is unclear or would
>>> be sexist.  Instead of "Everyone brought his Python manual," we are now
>>> allowed to say "Everyone brought their Python manual."
>>>
>>> However, in the example that started this, "village" has no gender.  Thus,
>>> I don't see that "their" is an acceptable alternative to "its" in this
>>> case.
>>
>>From the blog you dismissed so lightly which is written by someone who must
>>qualify as an "expert in the field":
>
> Please don't get angry.  English grammar nitpicking is only fun as long as
> no one takes it too seriously.

I'm not angry. Not in the slightest.

Grammar nitpicking is all fun and games to me. Check the quality of the
grammar in my writing and you'll see that if it was something I was
serious about I'd be very grumpy with myself all the time...

>
>>"Principal helps their employees" - Principal is a company.
>
> The names of corporations, in formal British English, are plural nouns.
> Thus, "Hewlett-Packard are introducing a new printer this month."
>
>>"Treasure Island's having their show right now." - Treasure Island is a
>>hotel.
>>
>>"picked by Latina Style as one of their list of ..." - Latina Style is
>>a magazine.
>>
>>Why is a village fundamentally different from a company, hotel, or magazine?
>
> Dunno.  One could use the corporation argument for Treasure Island, but I
> would have used "its" for Latina Style.

A village is a group of people, no?

-- 
Sam Holden