Register Log In Wordsmith Talk Forums (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) Meta-words indefinite pronoun Search Advanced Forum Search Forums Calendar Active Threads

Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread indefinite pronoun #119180 01/08/2004 7:25 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 But these tendencies, or at least the more extravagant of them, belong to the next chapter. How much influence they exert, even indirectly, is shown by the American disdain of the English precision in the use of the indefinite pronoun, already noticed. I turn to the Saturday Evening Post, and in two minutes find: “one feels like an atom when he begins to review his own life and deeds.” I'm not sure what Mencken is objcting to. Comments, please. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: indefinite pronoun #119181 01/08/2004 7:31 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I suspect he would have preferred "one feels like an atom when one begins to review one's own life and deeds." Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: indefinite pronoun #119182 01/08/2004 9:13 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Quite possibly. I am quite ignorant of such fine points. I would have said it just the way it appeared. More votes, please. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: indefinite pronoun #119183 01/09/2004 12:18 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 maverick Carpal Tunnel maverick Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,757 Never mind the clashing pronouns, the image is crap ~ who the hell knows how an atom 'feels', so how can that simile illuminate the meaning in any way? But yes, the clash as written is ugly, I would vote; it's the verbal equivalent of changing horses in mid stream. OTOH, use of 'one' is largely archaic to modern ears, I suspect. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter indefinite / undefinitie #119184 01/10/2004 5:16 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago musick Carpal Tunnel musick Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 2,661 Chicago Although I've heard 'his' or 'hers' used as indefinite (eg. automobiles being personified) these old ears would rather hear one's use altered to be *gender neutral, unless it is known and appropriate. This reminds me of Helen Reddy, upon winning the Grammy for "I am woman" thanked God because "she made it happen". self-YART Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

Default Style BlackNTan Drab eBay GooG v2 infopop new dark new light original dark original stock rounded corners Slate snow sunny dropshadow theblues Touch Of Grey UBB.threads UBB.threads - Dark UBB.threads - Light UBBCentral UBBCentral - Crimson UBBCentral - Lime UBBCentral - Marshmallow UBBCentral - Mocha UBBCentral - Zen UBBT77 UBBT77 - Dark ubbthreads ubbthreads-dark Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith Talk