Date:  Tue, 20 Feb 1996 08:22:55 MST

From:  Tom Uharriet <UTOM[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ADMN.SHS.NEBO.EDU>

Subject: Re: silly rules of grammar



I'm no legal expert; but I believe that if three people hold up a

store with one gun, and one bullet is fired, they are all held

responsible.



Tom



> Wouldn't that require a plural -s on gun?

>

> Benjamin Barrett

>

> >Date:     Fri, 16 Feb 1996 16:23:33 MST

> >From: Tom Uharriet <UTOM[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ADMN.SHS.NEBO.EDU>

>

> >The "they" used below suggests that the police have reason to believe

> >that more than one person was involved in the crime. This inference

> >has legal significance in the courtroom. Either way it would need to

> >be clarified.

>

> >> Here is one more good example of why it makes sense for speakers of

> > English

> >> to use "they" as the indefinite pronoun of singular reference (rather

> > "he"or

> >> "she"):

> >>

> >> From the *South Florida Sun-Sentinel," 15Feb96, 9B/1-2: "POMPANO

> >> BEACH--Police are trying to figure out who would want to kill James

> > Maxwell,

> >> and why.

> >>   "Maxwell, 40, who owned a commercial fishing boat and an electronics

> >> company, was killed outside his upscale waterfront condominium at 8:10

> >> Tuesday night, police spokeswoman Sandra King said.

> >>   " 'It was a hit,' King said. 'Whoever killed him waited for him a

> > great

> >> deal of time and, when he showed up, they emptied their gun.' "

> >>   " . . . neighbors saw a white man, about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a

> >> medium build . . . hanging around Maxwell's home Tuesday night."

> [snip]

> >utom[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]admn.shs.nebo.edu

>

utom[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]admn.shs.nebo.edu