zkydz wrote:
naturalplastic wrote:
kraftiekortie wrote:
I use it to mean "more than one person other than myself." .
No. What you described is not "they". Its "we".
That is incorrect. "We" is inclusive of the speaker.
"We are going to the beach." The speaker/narrator and other people.
"They" is exclusive in that it excludes the speaker/narrator from the group. "They are going to the beach. The speaker/narrator is staying home to do things."
Kraftie specifically said "more than one person other than [himself]." Ergo, he is correct.
Sorry. Not correct.
Niether Krafty, nor any one else in the English speaking world ever uses it the way you describe.
You use "they" when you mean "a group of people" who (a) dont not include yourself (ergo not first person), AND (you forget) do not include "you" (the person being addressed) (ergo not second person either), but would be "he" or "she" if they were a single individual (ergo third person, and plural).
About "we".
And "we" can either include the person being addressed ("we are going to the beach"),or NOT include the person being addressed ("we dont like your attitude,so we are gonna beat the tar outta you!"). But whether it includes the person being addressed or not "we" is still "first person plural"
"We" can include the person being addressed, or not. Either way it is still first person singular.