Hi,

Can any one let me know what "Do you have anything to eat?" refers to? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Ilango.

Dunno about what it refers to, but it could be a request for food by someone unable to feed themself or an expression of concern for someone who appears to be hungry and possibly not able to feed themself.

Apparently Jesus said it

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&a...amp;safe=images

themself?!

I think we recently had a long thread about this gender-singular-plural- related issue. Hisself , herself, itsself themself.. uh-ves???

Many people have asked that question. It's a very common question. I ask it almost daily when someone leaves my house to go somewhere a bit far.

Yeah. [T]hemself. It's singular. You wouldn't say yourselves with a singular you; why would you say themselves with a singular they?

huh. I found this in the [online] Compact OED:

themself
• pronoun third person sing. informal used instead of ‘himself’ or ‘herself’ to refer to a person of unspecified sex.

— USAGE The standard reflexive form corresponding to they and them is themselves, as in they can do it themselves. The singular form themself, first recorded in the 14th century, has re-emerged in recent years to correspond to the singular gender-neutral use of they, as in this is the first step in helping someone to help themself. It is not generally accepted as good English, however. [EA]

Back to the original question:

Can you give us the context of the question please, Ilango?

And Brannie, is that a standard line to say when someone leaves (like God be with you) or are you checking to see if they got their lunch out of the fridge?

As (good you asked for it), we have no context for this sentence it also could mean this ordinary, hundreds of times repeted prove of care when f.i. a child takes off for a day of sports.
Yes, a basic way of caring.

Thanks Zed.

A part of the conversation:

Person 1: The students are on strike! Why?

Person 2: About ten days ago, our principal died, and someone else was appointed in her place. The students want the principal’s daughter to become the principal.

Person 1: Your principal’s daughter? How is she qualified? She’s still in school, isn’t she?

Person 2: Hey, when a politician dies, they see to it that his son, daughter or wife takes his place. Nobody talks about qualifications, then.

Person 1: Listen, I’m in no mood to argue. I need my shut-eye. Now, please leave.

Person 2: Do you have anything to eat?

Person 1: LEAVE!

Thanks BranShea.

Ilango.

Do I look like someone who generally accepts?

And remember, this is from a dictionary that condones the use of an objective case plural pronoun in the subjective singular.

Checking out the Bible reference, the context there is that Jesus has just appeared to the disciples and they expressed some doubt, thinking that they were seeing a ghost. Jesus asks them if they have something to eat and, when they produce a piece of broiled fish, eats it, proving he is corporeal.

There was a play on this in the old comic strip Pogo when they think Howland Owl was a ghost. Someone suggests running a red hot poker through him. Owl notes that a ghost might scream as if in pain, just to fool them. He goes on to say that the only sure test is to feed him. If he holds the food he's not a ghost.

This, however, doesn't seem to match the context given by Ilango.

It is not generally accepted as good English, however.

"Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die." [Deut. 17:5] (link)

There are many examples of they used with singular antecedents. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Austen used it; even the King James translation of the Bible used it.

sounds like a normal teenager to me. I don't think it means anything beyond, "ok, I'm done with this conversation now. do you have anything to eat?"

It could also be a phrase that should function as a distraction, so as to temper Person 1.'s mood.
If so, it did not work since Person 2. is forced to leave.

( I would be pleased to know what "I need my shut-eye" means.)

I would be pleased to know what "I need my shut-eye"

I need my sleep.

Ah, of course. I read it like I need my closed eye and heck what for? Ah, it's a active verb.

I didn't read that *particular COED extract as having anything to say against the singular they -- only regarding theyself.

I agree with Buffle: Person 2 either is trying to prolong his visit, and/or is genuinely hungry.

Round these parts, it would be "I need some shut-eye".

I also agree. I think it is a non sequitur thrown in for comic effect. Probable motive: to be as annoying as possible!

Or either that or "themself", one.

The "not generally accepted as good English" was referring to "themself", not singular "they" in general. Singular "they" is standard English, but "themself" is not standard (yet).

I miss Buffle's post ( deleted?) . I agree with your final analyses . But I'm a bit puzzled by this double issue about themself and/or they ,theirselves. A strange melee. I mean Buffle......

Buffle is me, Bran.

(took me a minute, too!)

I think J must be trying to stretch (or shrink?) a point about shortening user-names!
-joe (caveat lector) friday

my thought, too, tsu.

No; actually it came from my daughter: when she was about two years old, we took her to see some buffalo, which she referred to as buffles.
But, speaking of name shortening: Formerly-eta, you do realize your initials are now B.S., don't you? (bwah-hah-hahhhh)

heh