単数のthey

単数のthey（たんすうのthey）は、英語において代名詞であるtheyやその格変化形・派生形であるthem・their・theirs・themselves/themselfを、共性（中性）の単数形代名詞として用いる用法である。通常、指し示す人物の性別を特定できない場合に用いる。以下に例を示す。

• "Somebody left their umbrella in the office. Could you please let them know where they can get it?"
• "The patient should be told at the outset how much they will be required to pay."
• "But a journalist should not be forced to reveal their sources."

単数のtheyの出現は遅くとも14世紀であるが、これは複数のtheyの出現からおおよそ100年後の事となる。これ以後、単数のtheyは日常会話において広く使用され、また改まった場面にも普及していった。18世紀の中葉になると、単数のtheyはこれを誤りであると見做す規範的な注釈者から批判を受けるようになった。ジェンダーニュートラルな言語を目指す運動の中で、現代の標準英語では単数のtheyは一般的なものとなり、正式に受け入れられている。21世紀の初頭には、単数のtheyを口語であり文語体の文書においては適切とは言い難いとするスタイルガイドもまだ存在したが、2020年にはAPスタイルブックなど大部分のスタイルガイドが単数のtheyを人称代名詞と認めるようになっている。

21世紀の初頭になると単数のtheyの新たな用法として、ノンバイナリーの人々のために、特定の個人を指してこれを使うものが現れるようになった。以下に例を示す。

• "This is my friend, Jay. I met them at work. They are a talented artist."

この新しい用法は注目を集め、2015年にはアメリカ方言学会によって、2019年にはメリアム＝ウェブスター社によって「ワード・オブ・ザ・イヤー」として選出された。さらに、アメリカ方言学会の2010年代「ワード・オブ・ザ・ディケイド」にも選ばれている。

格変化形および派生形

単数のtheyは単数の先行詞を指すことを許容するが、複数のtheyと同じく複数形の動詞を取る。またその格変化形についても複数のtheyと同型であるが、再帰代名詞についてはthemselvesだけではなくthemselfが使用される事もある。

三人称の人称代名詞の格変化

代名詞	主格	目的格（対格）	所有格	所有代名詞	再帰代名詞
He	He is my son.	When my son cries, I hug him.	My son tells me his age.	If I lose my phone, my son lends me his.	My son dresses himself.
She	She is my daughter.	When my daughter cries, I hug her.	My daughter tells me her age.	If I lose my phone, my daughter lends me hers.	My daughter dresses herself.
複数のthey	They are my children.	When my children cry, I hug them.	My children tell me their ages.	If I lose my phone, my children lend me theirs.	My children dress themselves.
単数のthey	They are my child.	When my child cries, I hug them.	My child tells me their age.	If I lose my phone, my child lends me theirs.	My child dresses themself [あるいは themselves].
総称のhe	He is my child.	When my child cries, I hug him.	My child tells me his age.	If I lose my phone, my child lends me his.	My child dresses himself.

themselfは14世紀から16世紀にかけて使用されていた事が分かっている。Themselfの使用は1970年代あるいは1980年代から増加したとされるが、いまだに「あまり見られない形」とされることもある。

2002年の時点では、ペインとハドルストンは『ケンブリッジ版 英語文法』の中で、標準語における Themself の使用について「稀でありこれを受け入れる話者は少数派である」が「単数の代名詞としてのtheyの受容が進むにつれ、増加する可能性が高い」としている。性別が確かでない単数の人物を指す時にはThemselfは有用である。というのも、以下の例のような場合themselvesでは違和感を与えうるためである。

• "It is not an actor pretending to be Reagan or Thatcher, it is, in grotesque form, the person themself." —イアン・ヒスロップ (1984); quoted in Fowler's

地方ごとの傾向

カナダ政府は、公文書内での使用に関して、単数のtheyの再帰代名詞としてはthemselvesを推奨し、themselfは使用しないように、としている。しかし、実際にはthemselfの使用も確認されている。

• "Where a recipient of an allowance under section 4 absents themself from Canada ..." — War Veterans Allowance Act（退役軍人手当法）, section 14.
• "... the following conditions are imposed on a person or group of persons in respect of whom a deposit is required: ... to present themself or themselves at the time and place that an officer or the Immigration Division requires them to appear to comply with any obligation imposed on them under the Act." — Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations（カナダ移民法施行規則）, section 48.

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外部リンク

• ジェフ・プルムによる「心を持っていた人（自分の言語を知っているだろう）」。ラジオトークのトランスクリプト。