[Milton-L] Justify God?

[Bowman, Mary]

> Somebody- their? when has the indefinite singular become a plural?

In the fourteenth century, according to the OED.

3. Often used in relation to a singular n. or pronoun denoting a person, after each, every, either, neither, no one, every one, etc. Also so used instead of 'his or her', when the gender is inclusive or uncertain. Cf. THEY pron. 2, THEM pron. 2; NOBODY 1b, SOMEBODY. (Not favoured by grammarians.)

13.. Cursor M. 389 (Cott.) Bath ware made sun and mon, Aier wit er ouen light. c1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) l, Iche mon in thayre degre. 14.. Arth. & Merl. 2440 (Kölbing) Many a Sarazen lost their liffe. 1533 [see THEMSELVES 5]. 1545 ABP. PARKER Let. to Bp. Gardiner 8 May, Thus was it agreed among us that every president should assemble their companies. 1563 WINET Four Scoir Thre Quest. liv, A man or woman being lang absent fra thair party. 1641 [see A. ]. 1643 TRAPP Comm. Gen. xxiv. 22 Each Countrey hath their fashions, and garnishes. 1749 FIELDING Tom Jones VII. xiv, Every one in the House were in their Beds. 1771 GOLDSM. Hist. Eng. III. 241 Every person..now recovered their liberty. a1845 SYD. SMITH Wks. (1850) 175 Every human being must do something with their existence. 1848 THACKERAY Van. Fair xli, A person can't help their birth. 1858 BAGEHOT Lit. Studies (1879) II. 206 Nobody in their senses would describe Gray's 'Elegy' as [etc.]. 1898 G. B. SHAW Plays II. Candida 86 It's enough to drive anyone out of their senses.

-----Original Message-----
From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu [mailto:milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu] On Behalf Of Tony Demarest
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2008 3:22 PM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: RE: [Milton-L] Justify God?


Somebody- their? when has the indefinite singular become a plural?
________________________________
> Subject: RE: [Milton-L] Justify God?
> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 15:25:52 -0400
> From: cmartin at thegeogroupinc.com
> To: milton-l at lists.richmond.edu
>
>
> Wow...somebody didn't get their nap...
>
>
>
> Charles Martin
> I.T. Dept.
>
> The GEO Group, Inc.
> Marshall County Correctional Facility
> 833 West Street
>
> Holly Springs, MS 38654
>
> Tel: 662 252 7111 Ext. 125 * Fax: 662 252 5777
> cmartin at thegeogroupinc.com
> www.thegeogroupinc.com
>