Date:    Mon, 1 Jun 1998 11:01:10 -0400
<br>From:    Alan Baragona <baragonasa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VAX.VMI.EDU>
<br>Subject: Re: Grammar -- It's Not Just For the Classroom!
<br>
<br>At 07:52 AM 6/1/98 -0400, Bethany K. Dumas wrote:
<br>>From the Metropolitan Diary column in today's NYTimes:
<br>>
<br>>-----
<br>>Dear Diary:
<br>>
<br>>Visiting an editor at Random House, I stepped into a crowded elevator and
<br>>found myself pressed close to the control panel. "Has everybody got their
<br>>floors?" I asked.  After a moment's silence, a young female voice from the
<br>>rear said, "His or her." "I beg your pardon?" I said. "His or her. It's
<br>>'Has everybody got his or her floors?' Your pronouns don't agree." "And
<br>>shouldn't it be 'his or her floor', not 'floors'?" a young man piped up.
<br>>"Each of us gets off at only one floor." "And wouldn't it be better to
<br>>say 'Does everybody have?' rather than 'Has everybody got?'" a third voice
<br>>chimed in. I stood corrected -- and red faced. But I was glad to know that
<br>>good grammar is alive and well.
<br>>
<br>
<br>And so is anal retention (should that be hyphenated?).  A pity the diarist
<br>didn't think to say "Everybody is being pretty picky, isn't he or she?"
<br>
<br>AB
<br>