16.18. Changing the meaning of pronouns

| Chapter 16: Understanding |

| 16.18. Changing the meaning of pronouns

The pronouns IT, HIM, HER and THEM are constantly adjusted during play, to save the player time when typing commands. If the player types EXAMINE NECKLACE on one turn, it's sufficient to type TAKE IT on the next, and IT will be understood as meaning whatever NECKLACE meant last turn.

All of that happens automatically, but once in a while the result can be unfortunate. Suppose that when the player examines the necklace, a security system automatically drugs her unconscious, and she wakes up in a cell, hours later, and is told that the cell is bare except for a key on the floor. If she types TAKE IT, she clearly doesn't mean IT to mean the necklace any more; she means the key. Inform's parser can't make guesses like this, so the following phrase can be used to help it.

set pronouns from (object)

This phrase adjusts the meaning of pronouns like IT, HIM, HER and THEM in the command parser as if the object mentioned has become the subject of conversation. Example: the combination of set pronouns from the key; set pronouns from Bunny; might change IT to mean the silver key and HIM to mean Harry "Bunny" Manders, while leaving HER and THEM unaltered.

| Previous builds of Inform also allowed: set pronouns from possessions of the player
This phrase is now deprecated. It has the same effect as: repeat with item running through things held by the player: set pronouns from the item. and is being withdrawn as unnecessary and very rarely needed.

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| Example Pot of Petunias Responding sensibly to a pot of petunias falling from the sky. |
RB

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