This word has many definitions.

When I was in school it referred to anything that is or had ever been living matter.

Nowadays, mostly, it is used to refer to food that is supposed to have been healthfully raised. Perhaps hormone-free beef that has been fed only chemical-free grass. Or vegetables that have had the snails and insects picked off by hand or squirted off with a hose.

Now, when I hear people say “our relationship is organic,” I’m not sure what is meant. They might mean that it is maturing and developing in a good way. Or they might mean that it is dwindling.

Here I am using this definition: “Characterized by continuous and natural development.”

I am using it to refer to the American English language.

Specifically second person.

No one uses second person singular except perhaps when referring to the deity. It was intended to connote familiarity and intimacy not formality. “Hallowed be thy name.” “Thou art Peter.” Like “tu” in Romance Languages.

And absolutely no one seems to recall that “you” is both singular and plural, so we are inundated with “you guys,” which, I contend is an abomination superseded by its plural possessive, “you guys’s.” Or would that be “you guys’es”?

When it’s unclear, I much prefer “you both” or “you all” or “all of you.”

Interestingly, “guy” seems to be neuter. You never hear wait staff (also neuter) say “How is you gals’es dinner?” Small blessings

A recent language development is the use of they, them, and theirs following a clearly singular antecedent. In journalism, this seems to be done to conceal the gender of the referenced antecedent.

This was in this morning’s local paper, but I’ve even seen it in the NY Times.

“One person was found unconscious on a ground-level apartment and taken to Salem Hospital where they were treated for critical injuries. They died from those injuries four days later. Officials declined to release the name and the age of the deceased but confirmed they were an adult.”

Clearly, I need to be organic about organic language, but I’ve only just recovered from hearing people use “myself” because they don’t know whether “I” or “me” is needed.