Толковый словарь английского языка - they

pronoun, plural in construction Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse their, masculine plural demonstrative & personal pronoun; akin to Old English thæt that Date: 13th century 1. those ones, he I,2, people 2, Usage: They used as an indefinite subject (sense 2) is sometimes objected to on the grounds that it does not have an antecedent. Not every pronoun requires an antecedent, however. The indefinite ~ is used in all varieties of contexts and is standard. Usage: They, their, them, themselves: English lacks a common-gender third person singular pronoun that can be used to refer to indefinite pronouns (as everyone, anyone, someone). Writers and speakers have supplied this lack by using the plural pronouns one to rest themselves betake — Shakespeare> would have everybody marry if ~ can do it properly — Jane Austen> too hideous for anyone in their senses to buy — W. H. Auden>. The plural pronouns have also been put to use as pronouns of indefinite number to refer to singular nouns that stand for many persons <'tis meet that some more audience than a mother, since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear the speech — Shakespeare> help their birth — W. M. Thackeray> man goes to battle to be killed. — But ~ do get killed — G. B. Shaw>. The use of ~, their, them, and themselves as pronouns of indefinite gender and indefinite number is well established in speech and writing, even in literary and formal contexts. This gives you the option of using the plural pronouns where you think ~ sound best, and of using the singular pronouns (as he, she, he or she, and their inflected forms) where you think ~ sound best.