>> In article <A7vbk.13061$xZ.7...@nlpi070.nbdc.sbc.com>,
>> Rebecca Rice  <philosphe...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>> James Nicoll wrote:

>>>> 11 The Troika                        Stepan Chapman  

>>>>    I missed this.

>>>>    I think this was his lone novel.

>>>> 13 Lives of the Monster Dogs         Kirsten Bakis  

>>>>    I missed this.

>>>>    This appears to be their only book.

>>> I have to ask... what's with the use of "their" instead of
>>> his/her?  I can see doing it where you aren't sure of gender
>>> (say someone named Pat), but Kirsten is almost positively a
>>> female name.

>>       It's correct usage and I like to toss it in from time
>> to time just to show that I know the difference between "there",
>> "their" and "they're" (Also "its" and "it's", FWIW).

> It's only correct usage if the distinction between singular and plural
> has been obliterated, and I, for one, am still up on the barricades,
> shooting and waving banners.

> It sets my teeth on edge when a sentence veers into plural for one word
> and then back out.