# Using s/he is correct grammar right? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964 "2015-05-13T18:47:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/1 "2015-05-13T18:47:07Z")
I’ve just had a somewhat surreal conversation elsewhere on the interwebs where several people got bent out of shape because I used the above in a sentence, they insisted that ‘s/he’ is not proper grammar or acceptable usage but I should use ‘he or she’ instead. I’ve been using ‘s/he’ for some time and while I’ve had people correct me before it never got quite this heated. Please tell me I’m not the one that’s being weird _(for a change)_. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/2 "2015-05-13T18:56:11Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s a style issue, and that whether it’s acceptable or not would depend on the style guide of the publication you’re writing for. Personally, my only objection to it is that I’m not sure how to pronounce it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/3 "2015-05-13T18:57:40Z")
Looks like a typo to me. Like the op reached for the shift key and hit the /. A common typing error. I’ve never seen s/he used anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/4 "2015-05-13T19:01:53Z")
I’d say it’s less formal than I would see in a regular publication. I see it a lot on message boards and facebook, but if you’re writing a novel or news article I’d use “he or she” instead. Or “they”. Or rephrase it so you don’t have to use an ambiguous pronoun at all. It is a style issue, though, not grammatical. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/5 "2015-05-13T19:07:04Z")
I would personally just use one or the other as a first choice. As a second choice I would use “he or she.” I would never use “s/he.” I get what you’re going for, but it’s not grammatically correct. Using “they” seems to be the default for a lot of people. I don’t like it though. I typically see it in reports at work where one doesn’t want to disclose the gender of a colleague and will say “the employee was late for their appointment,” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/6 "2015-05-13T19:09:53Z")
The answer to your question depends on what you mean by correct and grammar. Linguistically, “s/he” is correct grammar as native english speakers can and do use it and be understood by other native english speakers. Stylistically, it may be proscribed by your peers, patrons or parents and in that instance you must decide for yourself whether accession to the group’s demand is worthwhile against maintaining your personal preference. Personally, I use the singular they as it doesn’t have Thudlow’s issue of being odd to sound out. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/7 "2015-05-13T19:26:06Z")
I was introduced to s/he in 1980 in my 7th grade English class. I use it informally, but wouldn’t in formal writing (much like I wouldn’t use any contractions in formal writing either). I have no trouble reading it. ---
**Author:** ![Fallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Fallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fallen)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/8 "2015-05-13T19:28:50Z")
Would these folks get their panties in a twist over use of “(s)he” shortcut? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/9 "2015-05-13T19:37:10Z")
Or, if their panties remain twisted, are we still bound by the (possibly outdated, I don’t know) rule that indefinite gender is referred to in the masculine? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/10 "2015-05-13T19:37:52Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I would personally just use one or the other as a first choice. Agreed. If you’re talking about a hypothetical person and don’t want to sound sexist, just pick “she” unless it’s a stereotypically female occupation (homemaker or nurse, for example). If there’s more than one hypothetical person then alternate between “he” and “she”. “They” is second best. It sounds ungrammatical to hard line prescriptivists, but it’s been commonly used as a gender-neutral singular pronoun since before Chaucer. “He or she” is rarely necessary and always awkward, and s/he is just a shorter way of writing it. And it is by no means an exhaustive list, leaving out [all the other pronouns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender-specific_and_gender-neutral_pronouns#Summary) people might wish to be referred by. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/11 "2015-05-13T19:58:52Z")
I use it regularly, at least around here. IMO, using “they” is the worst possible option for gender non-specific 3rd person singular pronoun. Although in the last thread we did this I got taken to task; apparently using “they” for that role goes back to the 1700s. FWIW I pronounce it “shuh-he” where the “uh” is pretty much a schwa. Here’s the recent thread on a related topic that eventually turns into a debate about prnouns, both gendered and gender-neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/12 "2015-05-13T20:21:35Z")
Considering we put up with people typing text speak, non-caps, no punctuation, etc., I would say that your use of s/he would be okay. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/13 "2015-05-13T21:15:42Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Or, if their panties remain twisted, are we still bound by the (possibly outdated, I don’t know) rule that indefinite gender is referred to in the masculine? Do ships have a definite gender? Not that I’m getting my underpants in a twist about it… ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-s-he-is-correct-grammar-right/719964/14 "2015-05-13T21:20:57Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Do ships have a definite gender? In some languages, everything has a definite gender.