a fool and his or her money are soon parted

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Where do you stand on the he/she his/her issue?

Personally, I try to pluralise when possible ("fools and their money"). If that doesn't look right, I use "his or her", "he or she" etc. But ultimately, if that gets too clumsy, I'll resort to "he" and "his". I don't like the look of "s/he". I notice lots of academics systematically use "she" now. Somehow this annoys me if the author's male. Sounds a little patronising or too eager to make a point or something. Although if the author's a woman it seems fine to me. (maybe it's just me.) Some academics alternate "he" and "she" but I think this lacks clarity or is too attention-seeking or something.

― Jonathan Z. (Joanthan Z.), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

a fool and fool's money

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

A fool and his or hertheir money are soon parted.

It's maybe a bit clumsier, but it fits the bill. My English teacher at my (all-girl!) school preferred 'his', but that sucks. Yes, it's attention-seeking and distracting when people overuse one or the other to prove a point about their own sense of tradition/hipness.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Bah that should have been ~~his or her~~

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

The preferable pronoun being 'their'. Somebody shoot me. I need beer.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Mixing sing. and plurals tho.

Fools and their money are soon parted.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

an exotic solution:

nominative ve she he
accusative ver her him
possessive vis her his

― Sébastien Chikara (Sébastien Chikara), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

i use "A fool and his money are some party!" 'cuz it usually refers to me for a coupla hours after i get paid.

― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

bad example, we ladies are never foolish with our money.

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

only YOUR MONEY, SUCKERS!

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

OH SNAP!

― Kingfish Beatbox (Kingfish), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

< /blu cantrell>

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

women be shopping!

― BrianB (BrianB), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:19 (twenty-two years ago)

'Their' is not necessarily plural.

But woo, shopping! NB I am a fool.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Victoria's Secret swim catalog in the house.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 19 February 2004 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

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