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Singular ''they'' is the use in English of the pronoun ''they'', or its inflected or derivative forms, such as ''them'', ''their'', or ''themselves'', as a "pronoun that is neutral between masculine and feminine", to refer to a single person or an antecedent that is grammatically singular. It typically occurs with an antecedent of indeterminate gender, as in sentences such as: * "''Everyone'' returned to ''their'' seats." * "''Somebody'' left ''their'' umbrella in the office. Would ''they'' please collect it?" * "''The patient'' should be told at the outset how much ''they'' will be required to pay." * "But ''a journalist'' should not be forced to reveal ''their'' sources." A reason for its use is that English has no dedicated singular personal pronoun of indeterminate gender. In some cases, its use can be explained by notional agreement because words like "everyone", though singular in form, are plural in meaning. Its use in formal English has increased in recent times with the trend toward gender-inclusive language, but it has been used by respected writers for centuries. Though singular ''they'' has a long history of usage and is common in everyday English, its use has been criticized since the late nineteenth century, and acceptance varies. ==Inflected forms and derivative pronouns== Singular ''they'' has the same inflected forms as the "normal", plural ''they'', i.e. ''them'' and ''their''. They are usually both used with the same verb forms, i.e. "when I tell someone a joke ''they'' laughs" would be non-standard. The reflexive form ''themselves'' is sometimes used but there is an alternative reflexive form ''themself''. Although ''themself'' has a long history (first recorded in the 14th century〔''New Oxford American Dictionary'', third edition〕) and re-emerged in the 1980s, it is still fairly rare and is accepted only by a minority. It is sometimes used when referring to a single person of indeterminate gender, where the plural form ''themselves'' might seem incongruous, as in * "It is not an actor pretending to be Reagan or Thatcher, it is, in grotesque form, the person themself."—Hislop (1984); quoted in Fowler's Singular ''themself'' is used systematically in Canadian federal legislative texts in opposition to the plural ''themselves''. * "Where a recipient of an allowance under section 4 absents themself from Canada ()"—''War Veterans Allowance Act'', section 14. * "() the following conditions are imposed on a person or group of persons in respect of whom a deposit is required: () to present themself or themselves at the time and place that an officer or the Immigration Division requires them to appear to comply with any obligation imposed on them under the Act."—''Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations'', section 48. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Singular they」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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