There is an unusual pronoun that I have so far avoided mentioning, one.
| Subject | Object | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun | Reflexive | Number | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| one | one | one’s | one’s | oneself | variable | neutral |
One is odd because it acts for a pronoun much like a pronoun acts for a noun, but which pronoun it is standing in for is not always clear. What can one say to that? Depending on the context one could be replacing I or you or even both of us. Yet it isn’t as ego-centered as I, nor as direct as you. So although it has a stuffy, old fashioned feel to it, its indeterminacy makes it ideal in certain situations. Conclusion Well, I think that covers everything, and if you actually read the whole article (well, someone might), your probably asking “that was interesting, but what am I supposed to do about it?” The answer is, whatever the hell you want. This, after all, your language, for you to use, and even abuse, as you alone see fit. Always keep in mind that the goal is to communicate, so you should be striving to make your message as easy to understand as possible. Above all else, the way you use the language should be based on informed decision, not ignorance, and hopefully with a bit of background knowledge you’ll be more informed than ever before. Or to put it more simply: You can break the rules only if you know what they are.
| Subject | Object | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun | Reflexive | Number | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST PERSON | ||||||
| I | me | my | mine | myself | singular | neutral |
| we | us | our | ours | ourselves | plural | neutral |
| SECOND PERSON | ||||||
| you | you | your | yours | yourself | singular | neutral |
| you | you | your | yours | yourself | plural | neutral |
| thou | thee | thy | thine | thyself | singular | neutral |
| ye | you | your | yours | yourself | plural | neutral |
| THIRD PERSON | ||||||
| he | him | his | his | himself | singular | masculine |
| she | her | her | hers | herself | singular | feminine |
| it | it | its | its | itself | singular | neuter |
| they | them | their | theirs | themselves | plural | neutral |
| he/she | him/her | his/her | his/hers | himself/herself | singular | neutral |
| ey | em | eir | eirs | eirself | singular | neutral |
| INDEFIINITE PRONOUN | ||||||
| one | one | one’s | one’s | oneself | variable | neutral |
References These are the sources which help me put everything together… I should point out that in some cases “help” means “I copied verbatim”, by why bother rewriting something that already expresses what you want to say. Peters, P The Cambridge Australian English Style Guide (Cambridge University Press 1995) available from amazon.com Gender-neutral Pronoun FAQ Macquarie Dictionary 2nd ed. (Macquarie Library 1991) Common Errors in English English Grammar Usage and Style at Yahoo.com Also see: Part Zero - The problem with the English language is you! Part One - First person pronouns Part Two - Second person pronouns Part Three - Third person pronouns