What's worse than using "myself" wrong 1

[tsdragon]

As you may know, one of my pet peeves is people using "myself" instead of "me". Last night on Jeopardy I heard something worse. Speaking to Alex Trebek about a contest he emceed, a Jeopardy contestant said: "It was emceed by yourself." I literally cringed, before I yelled at the idiot on the TV. I halfway expect this nowadays from ignorant people trying to sound educated, but this guy was a previous 5-time winner of Jeopardy and was in the "Challenge of the Champions"!!!


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[SilentAiche]

Sheco,

I think in many cases correct grammar can make a negative impression.

I think "That is I" sounds arrogant, although I have no doubt that Santa is right about it being correct.

(was that last sentence awkward or what?)

Tim

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[SantaMufasa]

I think in many cases correct grammar can make a negative impression.

What is the implication of the corollary to your proposition, Tim?

If you do not want to risk leaving a negative impression do not use correct grammar.

Anyone who forms a negative impression of a person that uses correct grammar has big issues. Such a proposition is unacceptable in a literate world. Another corollary to the original assertion is, "Law abiders leave a negative impression on law breakers and those ignorant of the law." If you agree with this corollary, then the follow-on question is, "Why should you or I care about the negative impressions of an illiterate?" Should we lower our standards so that a "sub-standard individual" will think well of us? I know what my choice is.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)

http://www.dasages.com

Do you use Oracle and live or work in Utah, USA?
Then click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips.

 

[UniqueFD]

Sorry to intrude, but in trying to make some sense of your discussion I've stumbled across this:

http://grammar.uoregon.edu/

In the vein of Beethoven (who knew all the rules of music before he broke them, like his 5th symphony), I intend to get some decent teaching on the subject of grammar from the above before asserting that the way I speak/write/communicate is best. Anyone care to join me?

Dave/sleipnir214 - RESPECT!!

Tony
___________________________________________________
Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Solomon)

 

[CajunCenturion]

Getting back to the subject at hand ...

==> When using any form of the verb "to be", nominative pronouns are the only correct usages.

I would like to clarify that somewhat. Whenever "to be" is functioning as a linking verb in active voice, then the nominative case is called for. In fact, all linking verbs in active voice call for the nominative.

When "to be" is used in passive constructions, the objective case would be correct. "The cart was pushed by me".

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[Sheco]

Wait a minute!

I've 'erd afew cajuns in ma time but I ain' ne'er 'erd one wif that kinda grammar.

Jus sayin' is all.

 

[Thadeus]

Anyone who forms a negative impression of a person that uses correct grammar has big issues. Such a proposition is unacceptable in a literate world.

Great Dave, now welcome to the world where authority figures like judges and police really don't much care what your usage is... and if it "sounds" funny to them then you have made a negative impression.

Same might stand for gatekeeper types, such as HR admins when you are trying to get that interview with the hiring manager.

When you are making a negative impression, it doesn't really matter that the other person has "big issues".

I sell my speaking voice and writing style on a regular basis to couples from every background. They want to hear someone that speaks as they do, not that speaks "over" them. Common usage is far more important than correct usage in these situations. Not to say I will use "irregardless" in my presentation, but when I refer to the couple, I am not worried about my nominative pronouns.

~Thadeus
"They were we" Nope just sounds dumb.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Whoa, John (CC), my first rule of Precision Writing is, "Avoid weak passive voice". Therefore, we should re-write "The cart was pushed by me." to "I pushed the cart."

Second, the infinitive verb in your passive sentence is "to push", not "to be".

The reason I cite "...any form of the verb 'to be'..." is because it really is a special case. The verb 'to be' acts as an "equals sign (=)" between the left- and right-side arguments of the operator "=" (to be). As such, if you employ a pronoun on either side of the "=", it must be nominative (I, she, he, we, they) instead of objective (me, her, him, us, them).

And, my first rule of life is, "Dave, avoid being a b***-head." I hope I have not come across as a b***-head during this discussion. If I have, please forgive me...my Tek-Tips friendships are much more important than anything linguistic.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)

http://www.dasages.com

Do you use Oracle and live or work in Utah, USA?
Then click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I agree that you should avoid passive voice, and any verb ("to be" or otherwise) that equates the subject with the predicate is a linking verb, and all linking verbs, not just "to be", use the nominative case.

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[CajunCenturion]

To address the "myself" part of the thread, "myself" is a reflexive pronoun and should only be used when it is the same as the subject.

I told him myself. I (subject) and myself refer to the same person, so reflexive is correct.
From tsdragon's example: "He invited Nancy and myself to dinner." He (subject) and myself are not the same person -- it is not reflexive -- so myself is wrong.

Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[tsdragon]

Or in my original example, "It was emceed by yourself." "It" (the contest, subject) and "yourself" (Alex Trebek) do not refer to the same person (or thing), so that would also not be correct.

Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[TheRambler]

[b]To Die... [/b]

To die...so young to die...no, no, not I. 
I love the warm, sunny skies. 
Light, songs, shining eyes. 
I want no war, no battle cries-- 
No, no...not I. 

But if it must be that I live today 
With blood and death on every hand, 
Praised be He for the grace, I'll say 
To live, if I should die this day... 
Upon your soil, my home, my land. 
[i]Nahalal, 1941[/i]

Hannah Senesh