Featured They, Them, Their

I'm glad you conceded some ground as I've done.

 

In verses 6-8 the writer is referring to humanity, just as David did throughout Psalm 8. I noted that you said that in Hebrews 2:9 is where the writer is referring to Christ. That's right. While verses 6,7 and 8 refer to humanity. There is a plain break.

Verse 6 : "What is humanity that you remember them? Children of Adam that you care for them? (adapted from EXB)
Verse 7 : Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. (NLT)
Verse 8 : You gave them authority over all things." Now when it says "all things," it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority, (NLT)

Verse nine is clear. Where you thought that it "cannot refer to mankind in general because not all things are subject to Mankind." But verse 8 clearly says "But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority."

 

Another quote by Scott :
"The word they is being used as a pronoun of the common gender every day by millions of persons who are not particular about their language, and every other day by several thousands who are particular."

All the quotes are from The Current, Jan. 17, 1885, pp.43,44.

 

"There is nothing awkward or ungrammatical in this, so far as the construction of English is concerned. It is ungrammatical when measured by the Latin method --- but what has Latin grammar to do with the English tongue?"

Advocating the use of the singular they.

The New Pronoun, Atlanta Constitution, Feb. 25, 1885, p.4.

 

"Recently, a Christian told me they are not my friend because of some issues." (Salty : Nov. 1, 2021)

An alternative :
Recently, a fellow Christian told me we could not be friends because of some issues."

 

I had to go to great lengths to find a meaning for such a strange word. I finally found it in the Collins Dictionary. "Vogans are aliens who entire way of life circle around bureaucracy."
I'm certainly not a fan of red tape. So that meaning can't be applied to me. And what an example of poor English! It would be better expressed as "Vogans are aliens whose entire way of life circles around bureaucracy."

 

As Fred N. Scott said way back when "It is ungrammatical when measured by the Latin method."

 

You are the Vogon, not me. You are the one who wants everyone to march in lockstep to fuddy duddy 'rules' of the more recent past rather than what has been the norm for hundreds of years. You are the bespectacled schoolmarm who gets fussy over what is irrelevant.

 

I want to know how much of a stickler you are. Do you think it's wrong to split an infinitive? Is it befouling the language to end a sentence with a preposition? Do you draw a distinction between the words 'shall' and 'will' in your writing?

I want to see how consistent you are. I want to know where you draw your lines in the sand.

 

Mine my own business?! I had no idea that you would take offence when I asked you about split infinitives, prepositions, and the distinctions between shall and will. Touchy, touchy. You are so sensitive.

 

Your concern is completely unwarranted. If you are going to use Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2 --that's a dead-end street. I want examples from the text of the NIV where where you feel Jesus has been violated.

 

There are instances in which they, their and them are used awkwardly in the NIV. I have acknowledged that. But it is not across the board.

1 Corinthians 7:17

"Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them." (NIV)

Is that rendering problematic for you? In conversation you probably used that form of words as do most native English speakers. And they've been doing it for centuries.

Or perhaps you'd prefer the NLT wording :
"Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you."

Do you see and deficiency in the above? I don't.

How about the CEB?
"Nevertheless, each person should live the kind of life that the Lord assigned when he called each one. This is what I teach in all the churches."

I don't find the English above to be poor.

 

Matthew 16:24

NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

I have a problem with the above. But the way in which I would solve it would be to use a currently non-standard word. And that word is theirself. So I would substitute 'themselves; with theirself. I know, it's controversial. So is theirselves.

NLT
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."

Any problems with that wording?

CEB
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me."

The only problem that one may have is that the CEB says "All who want to come after me" instead of saying "Whoever wants to be my disciple" or even "If any of you wants to be my follower."