| Author |
Message |
Jim Spriggs
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:43 pm
Post subject: One/he |
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I've got into an argument about the use of "one" and "he". I write
first:
<quote>
| Quote: | I used to be very puzzled by things like:
"If one goes to the top floor he will see..."
The combination of "one" and "he" looks odd but is correct.
|
Not to my mind it isn't, 'one' is general 'he' is particular." If one
goes to the top floor one will see" or "if he goes to the top floor he
will see" but the two together do not work and are incorrect.
<\quote>
Who's right? British english, if it makes a difference.
Many thanks.
--
I don't know who you are Sir, or where you come from,
but you've done me a power of good.
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Numeromania
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:09 am
Post subject: Re: One/he |
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Jim Spriggs wrote:
| Quote: | I've got into an argument about the use of "one" and "he". I write
first:
quote
I used to be very puzzled by things like:
"If one goes to the top floor he will see..."
The combination of "one" and "he" looks odd but is correct.
Not to my mind it isn't, 'one' is general 'he' is particular." If one
goes to the top floor one will see" or "if he goes to the top floor he |
will see" but the two together do not work and are incorrect. <\quote>
| Quote: |
Who's right? British english, if it makes a difference.
|
"If one... he will..." doesn't sound right to me, but I'm not sure it's
incorrect. I think most people will say "if one... one will...".
I disgree with the explanation that "one" is general while "he is
particular". Counterexample: "He who dares wins". |
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Raymond S. Wise
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: One/he |
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Numeromania wrote:
| Quote: | Jim Spriggs wrote:
I've got into an argument about the use of "one" and "he". I write
first:
quote
I used to be very puzzled by things like:
"If one goes to the top floor he will see..."
The combination of "one" and "he" looks odd but is correct.
Not to my mind it isn't, 'one' is general 'he' is particular." If one
goes to the top floor one will see" or "if he goes to the top floor he
will see" but the two together do not work and are incorrect. <\quote
Who's right? British english, if it makes a difference.
"If one... he will..." doesn't sound right to me, but I'm not sure it's
incorrect. I think most people will say "if one... one will...".
I disgree with the explanation that "one" is general while "he is
particular". Counterexample: "He who dares wins".
|
For two different views on the subject, from the viewpoint of American
English, of whether "one...one," "one...he," "one...he or she," or some
other solution should be used, see the discussion in *The American
Heritage Book of English Usage* at
http://www.bartleby.com/64/pages/page22.html
and *The Columbia Guide to Standard American English* at
http://www.bartleby.com/68/73/4273.html
--
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
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Jim Spriggs
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:57 pm
Post subject: Re: One/he |
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"Raymond S. Wise" wrote:
| Quote: |
Numeromania wrote:
Jim Spriggs wrote:
I've got into an argument about the use of "one" and "he". I write
first:
quote
I used to be very puzzled by things like:
"If one goes to the top floor he will see..."
The combination of "one" and "he" looks odd but is correct.
Not to my mind it isn't, 'one' is general 'he' is particular." If one
goes to the top floor one will see" or "if he goes to the top floor he
will see" but the two together do not work and are incorrect. <\quote
Who's right? British english, if it makes a difference.
"If one... he will..." doesn't sound right to me, but I'm not sure it's
incorrect. I think most people will say "if one... one will...".
I disgree with the explanation that "one" is general while "he is
particular". Counterexample: "He who dares wins".
For two different views on the subject, from the viewpoint of American
English, of whether "one...one," "one...he," "one...he or she," or some
other solution should be used, see the discussion in *The American
Heritage Book of English Usage* at
http://www.bartleby.com/64/pages/page22.html
and *The Columbia Guide to Standard American English* at
http://www.bartleby.com/68/73/4273.html
|
Thank you, I'll look at those.
--
I don't know who you are Sir, or where you come from,
but you've done me a power of good. |
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Alan Jones
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:03 pm
Post subject: Re: One/he |
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"Jim Spriggs" <jim.sprigs@ANTISPAMbtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:4346EC53.9F77FF22@ANTISPAMbtinternet.com.invalid...
| Quote: | I've got into an argument about the use of "one" and "he". I write
first:
quote
I used to be very puzzled by things like:
"If one goes to the top floor he will see..."
The combination of "one" and "he" looks odd but is correct.
Not to my mind it isn't, 'one' is general 'he' is particular." If one
goes to the top floor one will see" or "if he goes to the top floor he
will see" but the two together do not work and are incorrect.
\quote
Who's right? British english, if it makes a difference.
|
You are. But the repeated "one" is ugly. I'd prefer "you" unless extreme
formality is required. Or "From the top floor one will see ..." There's
almost always a way round the difficulty if one is willing to abandon the
original sentence pattern.
Alan Jones, also a user of BrE. |
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