TOPIC:

<SNIP>
A meeting role has changed for the 2016-01-26 meeting.
(See fairburn.toastmastersclubs.org/agenda-00619113.html)

Doc Edwards, CL has removed themself from the following role: Timer
<SNIP>
<SNIP>
A meeting role has changed for the 2016-01-26 meeting.
(See fairburn.toastmastersclubs.org/agenda-00619113.html)

Doc Edwards, CL has added themself to the following role: Timer
<SNIP>

Themself is not a real word. (even in this 'selfie era').

SUGGEST: Doc Edwards, CL has been added to the following role: Timer
Doc Edwards, CL has been removed from the following role: Timer

As an organization dedicated to speaking correctly, our messages to one another should reflect good practice.
Thanks, Doc

Doc Edwards, CL has been added to the following role: Timer
Doc Edwards, CL has been removed from the following role: Timer

These messages don't convey the fact that the action has been initiated by the member. A mentor receiving the message might think that the VPE made the change.

I suggest the following messages:
Doc Edwards, CL has signed up for the following role: Timer
Doc Edwards, CL has opted out of the following role: Timer

Yes, PLEASE fix this message. Every time I receive one of these notifications I shudder at the dreadfulness of the grammar. I like the suggestions above. They convey the message in a grammatically-correct manner.

The suggestions will not work for the template. You all are making simplistic assumptions and don't really understand the various use scenarios for the template. I would like a better word than themself (it *is* a word, just an archaic one fallen out of use), but it needs to be gender neutral and needs to fit the "A has removed B from the following role" sentence structure where A and B could be different people. "B" could be "themselves", but that is plural and does not work with a singular subject. I need a gender neutral singular reference to "self".

In English and many other languages, the masculine form has traditionally served as the default or unmarked form; that is, masculine pronouns have been used in cases where the referent or referents are not known to be (all) female. This leads to sentences such as:

In English: If anybody comes, tell him. Here the masculine pronoun him refers to a person of unknown sex.

We may be making "simplistic assumptions" but even himself/herself would be an improvement over "themself" which is terrible under ANY circumstances.

FTM2490904 wrote:

In English and many other languages, the masculine form has traditionally served as the default or unmarked form; that is, masculine pronouns have been used in cases where the referent or referents are not known to be (all) female. This leads to sentences such as:

In English: If anybody comes, tell him. Here the masculine pronoun him refers to a person of unknown sex.

We may be making "simplistic assumptions" but even himself/herself would be an improvement over "themself" which is terrible under ANY circumstances.

You are entitled to your opinion. However, note that originally it *was* "himself" and i got beat up about that, also.