[Editors] Lunch and Syntax!

[Alissa Mallinson]

To me, it’s not a great sentence in any case, but the each/their doesn’t bother me much. Although there is clearly some incongruity, it does follow a certain logic in that “each” implies there’s a bigger group somewhere. It may be appropriate when being technically correct feels too formal and you want to present a more colloquial tone.

To each their own, I guess!

Alissa

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Alissa Mallinson
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Department of Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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From: <Ryan>, Dorothy - 0012 - MITLL <dryan at ll.mit.edu<mailto:dryan at ll.mit.edu>>
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 5:10 PM
To: Patricia M Foley <pfoley at mit.edu<mailto:pfoley at mit.edu>>, editors <editors at mit.edu<mailto:editors at mit.edu>>
Cc: Anne W Simunovic <annesim at mit.edu<mailto:annesim at mit.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Editors] Lunch and Syntax!

I’ve been told that statements such as “Each.. their arrangements” has become commonplace. I still think it sounds illogical. How about something like “All participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements.” to avoid the “each” problem?

dorothy

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Dorothy Ryan
Senior Writer/Editor
Communications and Community Outreach Office
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
781.981.8616
dryan at ll.mit.edu<mailto:dryan at ll.mit.edu>

From: editors-bounces at mit.edu<mailto:editors-bounces at mit.edu> [mailto:editors-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Patricia M Foley
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 4:19 PM
To: editors
Cc: Anne W Simunovic
Subject: [Editors] Fwd: Lunch and Syntax!

Dear editors,

At a lunch for staff of the School of Architecture and Planning on Tuesday, a colleague posed a question for the editor's group.  Would anyone like to weigh in?

Thank you and looking forward to your thoughts.

Patti Foley

Patricia M Foley
Administrative Assistant
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Urban Studies & Planning
77 Massachusetts Ave., Rm. 9-435
Cambridge, MA  02139
Tel: 617-253-5724


Begin forwarded message:

From: Anne W Simunovic <annesim at mit.edu<mailto:annesim at mit.edu>>
To: Patricia M Foley <pfoley at mit.edu<mailto:pfoley at mit.edu>>
Cc: Anne W Simunovic <annesim at mit.edu<mailto:annesim at mit.edu>>
Subject: Lunch and Syntax!
Date: January 20, 2015 at 2:35:17 PM EST

Hi Patti,

I found a sentence that illustrates my question to the editor:  “Each makes their own travel arrangements.”

My old-school self would say his or her instead of their:  but I think usage has overtaken that old rule?

All best,
Anne


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