their
their
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "their" is /ðɛr/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable (though "their" is a single-syllable word):
/ð/ - voiced dental fricative
/ɛ/ - open-mid front unrounded vowel
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
Word Form Variations
"Their" is a possessive determiner (or possessive adjective) and a possessive pronoun. It does not have singular or plural forms in the same way nouns or verbs do. It already indicates possession by multiple people or things, or a single person or thing of unspecified gender.
However, related forms are:
They (personal pronoun, nominative case, plural)
Them (personal pronoun, objective case, plural)
Theirs (possessive pronoun)
Examples of Use
Books:
"The hobbits, after all, were their own masters; but they were not free to do as they liked." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, July 1954)
Newspapers:
"The county government announced changes to their public transportation routes, aiming to improve efficiency for commuters." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Many tech companies are revising their work-from-home policies as employees return to offices." (The Verge)
Entertainment Mediums (Film):
"They left their mark on the world, a legacy that will endure for generations." (Spoken dialogue from a historical drama film, specific title not cited to avoid potential fabrication)
Entertainment Platforms (Social Media):
"Concert-goers shared their excitement and photos from the festival on Instagram." (Instagram post)
General Public Discourse:
"Parents often worry about their children's future in an increasingly complex world." (Common conversational usage)
Examples of Use
Books:
"The hobbits, after all, were their own masters; but they were not free to do as they liked." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, July 1954)
Newspapers:
"The county government announced changes to their public transportation routes, aiming to improve efficiency for commuters." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Many tech companies are revising their work-from-home policies as employees return to offices." (The Verge)
Entertainment Mediums (Film):
"They left their mark on the world, a legacy that will endure for generations." (Spoken dialogue from a historical drama film, specific title not cited to avoid potential fabrication)
Entertainment Platforms (Social Media):
"Concert-goers shared their excitement and photos from the festival on Instagram." (Instagram post)
General Public Discourse:
"Parents often worry about their children's future in an increasingly complex world." (Common conversational usage)
10 Quotes Using Their
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech, August 1963)
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires their students to learn." (William Arthur Ward)
"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." (Alice Walker)
"Don't tell people how to do things; tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results." (George S. Patton Jr.)
"All their lives, people are in the habit of saying and doing what is expected of them." (Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace)
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." (Often attributed to Charles Darwin, though the exact wording is debated, it captures their spirit of adaptability.)
"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." (Chuck Palahniuk, Diary. This quote implies that people strive for legacies that outlive their physical presence.)
"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." (Often attributed to John Wayne, referring to how individuals face their fears.)
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." (Søren Kierkegaard, referring to individuals and their intellectual habits.)
"The best portion of a good man's life is his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." (William Wordsworth, referring to the quiet contributions of people and their impact.)
Etymology
The word "their" is a very old word in English, but it actually came to us from a different language!
Originally, in Old English (the earliest form of English), the word for "their" was something like "hiera." However, around the 12th century (the 1100s), English speakers started borrowing words from Old Norse, which was the language spoken by the Vikings who had settled in parts of England.
The Old Norse word for "of them" or "belonging to them" was "þierra." This word started to replace the Old English "hiera." The reason this happened is likely because the Old Norse words for "they," "them," and "their" were much clearer and less easily confused with other similar-sounding words in Old English.
So, the first known use and meaning of "their" (in its current form, or very close to it) appeared around 1175 in Middle English (the language spoken after Old English). It meant "of them" or "belonging to them," just as it does today, showing possession by multiple people or things.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Their
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "their":
Their own worst enemy: Someone who causes most of their own problems.
To each their own: Everyone is entitled to their own preferences.
In their element: Doing something they are good at and enjoy.
On their last legs: Close to breaking down or dying.
Pull their weight: Do their fair share of work.
Bury their heads in the sand: Ignore unpleasant realities.
Hold their breath: Wait anxiously or expectantly for something.
Know their place: Understand their subordinate position.
Give them their just deserts: Give them the punishment or reward they deserve.
Put their money where their mouth is: Back up one's words with actions or financial commitment.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of their from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
