One should use the third person indefinite pronoun when making a claim
By
Vynce
on February 08, 2007
The first and second person pronouns are often ambiguous in these situations, whereas the third person indefinite is both correct and clear. (In English, this pronoun is "one".)
Agreed
37
14
72.5% 27.5%
Embed Claim
Make a related claim
This claim was inspired by
Similar claims
- 65-1 One should attempt to avoid ambiguity when making a claim
- 123-2 When a claim contains the word "I", it should mean "I, the voter" and not "I, the claimer"
- 35-1 The description of a claim should expand on but not fundamentally alter the meaning of the claim
- 17-2 One should attempt to avoid using weasel words when making a claim on Jyte
- 10-0 Null comparatives are worse claims
Discussion (7)
But it's easy to forget.
It depends, though, because one might want to make a claim about the voters, in which case "you" is more appropriate, I think.
it's true that there are exceptions; i meant to address that in my description adn then forgot.
for instance, there is one about "wine helps one unwind" -- i would prefer that to say "wine helps me unwind" (first person referring to the voter) because while it does for most people, i don't personally find it to be a useful technique.
One probably should, and one shall start doing so from now on.
Alistair: One might want to do so, but sometimes one should use "I" instead. Basically, "one" seems to suggest a general statement, but "I" refers specifically to the person voting on a claim.
Jonathan, you took the words right out of my mouth ;)
8 months ago, this claim seemed needful. now it seems incorrect in the case Rascher mentions -- which we were hardly engaging in at the time.