This study investigates the basis for use of singular they from a few different perspectives. Firstly, from a historical perspective, the singular they is not something that appeared all of a sudden in modern English since it has been used for a long period of time. Singular they did not appear by mistake as its use can be found in the writings of many respected authors. Secondly, considering the notional concord and the referential ambiguity of plural pronouns from a viewpoint of semantics, there are two different uses of singular they - one is to indicate indefinite pronouns and the other is to specify generic nouns. Lastly, from a cognitive perspective, singular they is a cognitively efficient substitute for he or she, or it seems to be cognitively more efficient than those pronouns. Considering all of the perspectives listed above, it is arguable that the use of singular they should not be proscribed like they has been by normative grammarians, but accepted as a change in the use of English pronouns.

• Eunsuk Lee(Daegu University)