English has Rules, Just Like Japanese!

[Iscah]

also, im going to adjust what you wrote a tiny bit. (the last 2 were fine, but ironically should have been plural in patient/journalist)

Technically it's not what I wrote - I copied the usage examples from the Wikipedia article I'd linked in a previous post.

And I disagree that they "should have been plural". It's clear from the context that the sentence is referring to a single person of unspecified gender, with "they" able to be replaced by "he or she". It can be rephrased to be a plural, but it's not necessary, and possibly not correct depending on the context.

eg. The first sentence (or something like it) could be part of a procedure manual for how a doctor should carry out a consultation.
1. Greet the patient
2. [...]
X. Tell the patient how much they will need to pay.

You wouldn't use "patients" because it's part of a guide for how to deal with a single patient. You could use "he or she" but it's simpler to use "they".

Also on your altered example:

"The patient should be told at the outset how much one will be required to pay."

I know "one" is hardly used as a pronoun now, but that doesn't read correctly. I'm not clear on the rules but I think it needs to be used in both parts of the sentence ("one should be told at the outset how much one will be required to pay") and you can't switch them around halfway through like that. That's my gut feeling, and the examples of usage on the Wikipedia page seem to support that.

[Eloah]

I know "one" is hardly used as a pronoun now

"Well one doth not suffice"
-Sophia the Goddess

Lol

[HyoMinPark]

"Well one doth not suffice"
-Sophia the Goddess

Lol

I never actually considered this as a statement using “one” as a pronoun. Since Sophia uses it when she’s summoning her shadows for the mimic/Execution mechanic, I interpreted it as “one of me isn’t enough”—so in a numerical sense. Not as a pronoun.

[Eloah]

I never actually considered this as a statement using “one” as a pronoun. Since Sophia uses it when she’s summoning her shadows for the mimic/Execution mechanic, I interpreted it as “one of me isn’t enough”—so in a numerical sense. Not as a pronoun.

While I meant it more as a joke, the quote above is an instance where a word acts as both a subject and a modifier. You arent incorrect in your interpritation, since that is literally what she is saying. But since the sentence has no subject, One becomes the subject, making it both an adjective and a noun. And when you think about it pronouns can sorta fall into that category too. But I am no linguist, so don't quote me.

[HyoMinPark]

While I meant it more as a joke, the instance above is an instance where a word acts as both a subject and a modifier. You arent incorrect in your interpritation, since that is literally what she is saying. But since the sentence has no subject, One becomes the subject, making it both an adjective and a noun. And when you think about it pronouns can sorta fall into that category too. But I am no linguist, so don't quote me.

I also misread your quote—I’m fairly certain she says “Where one doth not suffice.” Not “Well”.

Noun phrases can include pronouns—or it can just include a noun (usually with a determiner). But noun =/= pronoun. Since we’re discussing “one” being used as a pronoun, I don’t think this sentence demonstrates that if one were to parse it, since it would likely be determined that “one” here serves as a noun. Not a pronoun. But this is obviously beyond the scope of a mere joke.

[Eloah]

I also misread your quote—I’m fairly certain she says “Where one doth not suffice.” Not “Well”.

Noun phrases can include pronouns—or it can just include a noun (usually with a determiner). But noun =/= pronoun. Since we’re discussing “one” being used as a pronoun, I don’t think this sentence demonstrates that if one were to parse it, since it would likely be determined that “one” here serves as a noun. Not a pronoun. But this is obviously beyond the scope of a mere joke.

In the context of the quote, where and well would essentially mean the same thing, so that's more on someone hearing capability, since the meaning of the sentence remains the same. As far as One goes, I wasn't calling it a pronoun per se, it is a noun, but it's an adjective at the same time, and pronouns offer a similar function, conveying two pieces of information in one word. Like she is singular female, we, multiple collective, stuff like that. Similar to adverbs, but I dont think we has a proper term for an adjective noun, that's why I said a pronoun is the closest thing.