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From: rwt@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Rainer Thonnes)
Subject: Re: them versus him/she, which is correct?
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Date: Fri, 23 Feb 1996 11:39:08 GMT
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In article <SUE.96Feb22145408@liddell.cstr.ed.ac.uk>,
sue@cstr.ed.ac.uk (Susan Fitt) writes:
> 
> However, I don't think I'd use:
> 
> 	* The salesman is busy because they are with a customer.

Would you really use "salesman" _only_ if you knew the assistant to be male?
"Salesperson" is such a grotty word.  I quite like:

        * The salesman is busy because she is with a customer.

Granted, that one's really a bit tongue-in-cheek, but this one is more likely
to be considered acceptable:

        * The chairman arrived, and after satisfying herself that everyone
          was present, she called the meeting to order.
