Re: [boost] Gender neutral documentation

From: Edward Diener (eddielee_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-11-04 12:57:14

Martin Bonner wrote:
> Angus Leeming wrote:
> 
>>Returning to the original example:
>>    This means for example that the client can completely
>>    discard Bind if she does not need it.
>>I'd suggest rewriting it as:
>>    This means that the user can discard Bind completely
>>    if it is not needed.
>>
>>That would get rid of a split infinitive too, but that's a whole other
>>ball game :)
> 
> 
> a) I don't see a split infinitive in the original.
> b) Your rewrite has transformed a clause in the active voice ("she does not
> need it") to the passive voice ("it is not needed").  The problem with
> documentation in the passive voice is that it doesn't make clear /who/
> doesn't need Bind.
> 
> My rewrite would be:
>    This means, for example, that the client can completely
>    discard Bind if they don't need it.

How does a singular client become a plural they ? I do care that the 
sentence be gramatically correct but I care even more that it be good 
English. I doubt the above is good English.