Add them as a friend?

[piecs]

Title
Add them as a friend?

Short, concise description of the idea
The phrase "Add them as a friend" in the gray navigation bar is awkward.

Full description of the idea
"Them" refers to two or more people. It's awkward to see a single user referred to as a "them" instead of "him or her".
An ordered list of benefits

• Please take out the "them" in "Add

Comments

[ex_uniquewo]

If anyone's interested this has been discussed at linguaphiles less than a week ago.
I don't find this usage wrong and/or awkward so I think the rewording is unnecessary. However, 'Add as a friend' is fine too. :)

[pauamma]

Not to mention being a regular featurze in Language Log. :-)

[ayoub]

Actually, "Add them as a friend" is grammatically correct, and it keeps it non gender specific.

That being said, "Add user to Friends List" is a little more user friendly.

Add user to Friends List

[ankhorite]

I don't think so; it raises the question of which user.

Add user to Friends List - does it mean you are adding yourself to Joe's friend list? Or are you adding Joe to your friend list?

See what I mean? :(

[pbristow]

What they said...^

It's the most widely used version of a gender-neutral pronoun for English - far more prevalent and widely understood than modern inventions like "sie" or "(s)he".

[ceilidh]

Since there is such a kerfluffle over 'them' being gender neutral or not, couldn't it just be worded "add this user to your friends list"?

[charliemc]

Agreed.

[charliemc]

I must admit the wording bothers me, too. But there are several possible solutions that don't require being gender-specific.

I have friends who don't identify themselves by EITHER gender, so why not use something like: ADD this person as a friend -- ???

Just my thought...