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Difference between revisions of "Clicklaw Wikibooks Style Guide"
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Clicklaw Wikibooks Style Guide (view source)
Revision as of 23:43, 30 April 2019
, 23:43, 30 April 2019→Word usage
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===That and which=== | ===That and which=== | ||
Use ''that'' (not ''which'') to introduce a restrictive relative clause (a clause that is essential to the grammar of the sentence). | Use ''that'' (not ''which'') to introduce a restrictive relative clause (a clause that is essential to the grammar of the sentence). | ||
==="They" as singular=== | |||
In 2017, an editorial decision for ''JP Boyd on Family Law'' was made to use "they" as a singular pronoun. "They" should be used instead of "he or she". If the use of "they" feels awkward, consider revising the sentence structure to avoid the use of a pronoun. | |||
For example, acceptable alternatives to writing "if a party fails to respond, he risks default judgment" include: | |||
*"If a party fails to respond, they risk default judgment." | |||
*"If a party fails to respond, that person risks default judgment." | |||
*"A party who fails to respond risks default judgment." | |||
This decision achieves two advantages: | |||
*it is a clear alternative to the arbitrary assignment of gender in scenarios where the law does not treat people differently based on sex or gender identity | |||
*it recognizes that some people do not identify as only a "he" nor a "she" | |||
===Preferred usage for words=== | ===Preferred usage for words=== | ||