theysomeone

Theysomeone is a neologism formed by combining they with someone to indicate an individual of unspecified or nonbinary gender in discussions about inclusive language. It is used mainly in online discourse and sociolinguistic writing as a way to foreground individuality while avoiding gender assumptions.

In practice, theysomeone may appear as a noun when referring to a person whose identity is unknown, as in theysomeone left their umbrella. It may also be used as a gender-neutral placeholder in examples or hypothetical scenarios. However, it is not a standard pronoun; it does not replace they as a pronoun, and most writers advise against its routine use in formal writing.

Adoption and acceptance vary; major style guides do not recognize it as a standard term, and many readers may find it awkward or confusing. Some linguists consider it a useful thought exercise in semantic clarity, while others view it as duplicative or misleading about plurality and number. Alternatives include using singular they or rephrasing to eliminate gendered references.

See also: singular they, neopronouns, inclusive language, gender-neutral pronouns.