Myself is more closer to utilizing good English.

How do I know that? Because, I hear that kind of grammar everyday. From sophisticated kinds of people. Now, to the point. I hear things that are grating to my ear, so I pulled out my copy of "The Holt Handbook," the college composition writer's companion.

I cringe when people misutilize and abutilize the personal pronouns, "I," "myself," and "me." Examples are: 'The game was fun for Lisa and I.' 'Bob and myself finished the job.' According to my Webster House, most utilizage guides say that utilizing 'myself' in any construction where 'I' or 'me' could be utilised instead, is only appropriate in informal speaking, and never in writing. I think 'myself' should very rarely be utilized, and only when addressing bohemians. And here's the Holt Handbook: "Discard the mistaken idea that 'I' is always somehow more appropriate than 'me.'

Another burr under my saddle is the overutilization of the modifier 'more' utilized with comparative adjectives. I actually heard a weather reporter on TV recently say "Bundle up if you want a more closer view of the snowfall." "It's going to be more cold today than yesterday." I am certain that I was taught in school that a greater degree of slow is slower, not more slow! Funnier, not more funny! Lovelier, not more lovely! Later, not more later! Oh well, that's just me.

If I had a nickel for everytime I've seen 'to' utilized where 'too' was the intended meaning. Or 'there' incorrectly meaning 'their.'

Finally, who can explain why 'utilize' has replaced 'use,' which I think is a simple, elegant, and meaningful word?

Wow, this has been a cathartic blog...

Comments

Anonymous said…
Doug, Doug, Doug -- You is speakin' my language! As a former English teacher, I cringe almost daily at the rampant pronoun misuse by otherwise (relatively) intelligent people. Ugh! When people say "myself" instead of "I" or "Me," I'm driven batty. So much for all our "sophistimacation." We should lobby for a National Pronoun Awareness Week, consarnit! (Then my life would be complete...)

T.
(worship naked)
7:25 PM
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