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Grammar pedants - help please.

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Northern Exile Feb 2022 4:53pm, 25 Feb 2022 8,479 posts	Quote Pin Northern Exile Ah, military intelligence, the classic oxymoron. [Posted earlier elsewhere] I hate that old chestnut, it stems from the Second World War when, apparently, army intelligence had a well-deserved reputation for thuggery AND idiocy. I've known a few characters connected with the intelligence services and they were invariably very bright people.
GordonG Feb 2022 5:16pm, 25 Feb 2022 8,999 posts	Quote Pin GordonG Linds - that's going to be a very expensive T shirt to get printed
Dvorak Feb 2022 5:24pm, 25 Feb 2022 24,695 posts	Quote Pin Dvorak I did that would be a bit long for a t-shirt slogan. If you do, could you correct my typo, please
ChrisHB Feb 2022 6:10pm, 25 Feb 2022 21,543 posts	Quote Pin ChrisHB I have at last found an English reflexive verb that doesn't just mean that the same person is the subject and object of the verb, but the reflexiveness changes the meaning: I acquitted myself = I am pleased with what I did. That is going to be incredibly useful if I ever have to teach a language to beginners. Which I won't.
um Feb 2022 7:20pm, 25 Feb 2022 5,814 posts	Quote Pin um Chris - I'm very worried that you're on holiday in Italy and thinking about English reflexive verb forms. At least let us know it's because of Italian translation pedantry, or get out there and practise your Italian. Mi sono assolto = Sono contento di quello che ho fatto. I'm not sure 'che ho fatto' is PC these days?
ChrisHB Feb 2022 8:36pm, 25 Feb 2022 21,545 posts	Quote Pin ChrisHB I was thinking about my successes in Italian. Are you sure you didn't assault yourself?
ChrisHB Mar 2022 1:25pm, 4 Mar 2022 21,556 posts	Quote Pin ChrisHB I have learned that it is not always OK to say they instead of he or she. When talking about the sex of a future baby, for instance. In this case, the traditional it is to be preferred.
LindsD Mar 2022 2:01pm, 4 Mar 2022 53,301 posts	Quote Pin LindsD Hm. I'm not sure I would agree. 'It' is horribly impersonal. I would say 'he or she'.
RichHL Mar 2022 2:14pm, 4 Mar 2022 18,551 posts	Quote Pin RichHL "Blobby" doesn't go down well at all.
Cerrertonia Mar 2022 2:18pm, 4 Mar 2022 15,927 posts	Quote Pin Cerrertonia Help yourself Chris? Enjoying oneself is another.