Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
s/he, (s)he (prons.)
These two coinages were designed by those unhappy with the generic masculine pronoun: A student must attend classes if he hopes to pass the course. Americans proposed s/he, and the British tried (s)he, but both are already doomed as unspeakable (they are ugly, and they cannot be read aloud with euphony); he or she serves conservatives who insist on literal evenhandedness, even at the expense of bulk. The fact is, however, that the plural they has already overwhelmed the singular he as generic pronoun at most levels and in all prose except some Edited English and very Formal writing. Much Edited English now avoids the singular entirely by using the plural for all parts of the sentence: Students must attend classes if they hope to pass their courses. See also INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE; SEXIST LANGUAGE.
