| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. |
A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English. 1996.
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Page 177
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guy
| | Used in the singular, guy is an informal noun that refers to a man or boy. Its feminine equivalent is the equally informal, though probably less common, term gal. So, for example, if you are separating two groups of students for a session in line dancing, everyone will know what you mean when you say, “Guys to the left and gals to the right.” Similarly, every girl knows how to interpret a “Guys Only” sign outside her brother’s bedroom door. | 1 |
| In the plural, guy is used to refer to a group of men, to a mixed group of men and women, or even (though less frequently) to a group of girls or women. | 2 |
he
| | he as generic pronoun
| | Many writers of English have traditionally used the pronouns he, him, and his as generic or gender-neutral singular pronouns in formal writing, as in A novelist should write about what he knows best and No one seems to take any pride in his work anymore. However, whether he really refers to both genders or can be considered gender-neutral is questionable, since many people feel that it can only designate a male who is supposed to be taken as the representative member of the group referred to. When many occupations and public offices were held exclusively by men, using he in this way was unremarkable. For example, the sentence Each member of Congress is answerable to his constituents could raise no objections throughout most of U.S. history, as Congress was occupied exclusively by men, and there was scant possibility of women holding office. But the argument for the continued use of the so-called masculine generic in formal English gets more shaky every day, with women becoming more visible in all aspects of public life; instead the singular masculine pronouns now seem best used when referring to a group of men—and when used in this way they parallel the singular feminine pronouns. | 3 |
| Nonetheless, the use of the masculine pronoun as generic still has its advocates: in a series of sample sentences such as A taxpayer who fails to disclose the source of _____ income can be prosecuted under the new law, 37 percent of the Usage Panel completed the sentences with the masculine pronoun. | 4 |
| But if you don’t like the traditional usage or feel it is sexist, you will want to avoid generic he. | 5 |
alternatives to he
| | she as generic pronoun
| | Some writers avoid generic he simply by using she, as if to make up for she’s neglect over the centuries. This practice is more common than you might think. In a 1989 article from the Los Angeles Times, for example, writer Dan Sullivan notes, “What’s wrong with reinventing the wheel? Every artist has to do so in her search for the medium that will best express her angle of vision.” And Alice Walker writes in 1991, “A person’s work is her only signature.” You may find this usage needlessly brings the issue of gender to the forefront of the discussion, distracting the reader, but the same argument can be leveled against using generic he. Using she still carries an air of unconventionality, which may be why only three percent of the Usage Panel recommends it in sentences like A taxpayer who fails to disclose the source of—income can be prosecuted under the new law. | 6 |
| The American Heritage® Book of English Usage. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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