using "they" to mean "he or she," you're going to get laughed out of the university. There was a recent thread on this topic. To summarise, opinion is divided amongst the board and the other
authorities. I was taught to use "they" in this manner 40 years ago, and several "authoritative" gramatical sources vouch for its "correctness". It is not a recent change to the language, (perhaps arising when "he" was dropped as a plural in Early English ?? NicholasW??) but maybe it has become more prominent because of people wishing to show gender neutrality and finding "he or she" awkward.
From Miriam -Webster Collegiate Dictionary:
The use of they, their, them, and themselves as pronouns of indefinite gender and indefinite number is well established in speech and writing, even in literary and formal contexts. This gives you the option of using the plural pronouns where you think they sound best, and of using the singular pronouns (as he, she, he or she, and their inflected forms) where you think they sound best.
Rod
