Please consider the following recent quotations by two enormously successful men who have made their fortunes dealing with words, either their own or others’:
“I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project.”
- So said internationally renowned multimedia news and publishing mogul Rupert Murdoch, upon canceling a book that would have given us O.J. SImpson’s ghostwritten account of the infamous murder he was acquitted of ten years ago.
And:
“I was 12 … when I and two sisters were assembled for an hour of ’music appreciation’.”
- This is from today’s New York Times Book Review, in a review by the outspoken, conservative columnist, editor, author, etc., William F. Buckley, who is as famous for his strong opinions and biting intellect as for his command of the English language; in his review of “Johann Sebastian Bach: Life and Work” by Martin Geck.
Both Tabloid King and Renaissance Conservative broke a grammar rule so basic, so elementary, my dear Watson, so entrenched in English and other languages as to be difficult to find the rule for -- but here it is: “In a series of two (or more) subjects or objects, the pronoun, “I” (LL adds: or object pronoun, “me”) comes last, for the sake of politeness.” This is from “Modern English: A Practical Reference Guide,” by Marcella Frank,1972, a grammar guide I bought secondhand right out of college: It’s not cute, witty or fun like so many guides today, but it dishes the stuff straight.
Of course, teenagers love to break this “others first” rule by saying, “Me and her are going to town,” and other dialectical variations; but Rupert and Bill are senior statesmen of words and media and grew up in the days when students were thoroughly schooled in grammar – especially these two students who, respectively, went on to Oxford and Yale universities.
When I mentioned Mr. Murdoch’s grammar gaff to a newspaper editor, he replied glibly (granted, it was on the early morning train) that the CEO of Fox News was so rich and powerful, he could say whatever he liked. Well, Mike Tyson was once rich and powerful but that didn’t mean he could bite off Evander Holyfield’s ear without repercussions.
The question is why these two astute, worldly and word-wise men both broke normal phrasing and basic grammatical etiquette to put themselves first. In Mr. Murdoch’s case, why couldn’t he have started off: “Senior management and I …” Was he thinking, “I should be the first to blame for initially greenlighting O.J.’s book, not senior management …” or was he just putting himself first because he’s so rich and powerful?
As for Mr. Buckley – shame on him! For a wordsmith of his caliber, “I and two sisters” should have triggered a Klieg-sized light in his head. I cannot imagine why “my sisters and I” did not slip unhesitatingly off his tongue. And who was the Times editor that let that one slip past?
Let’s hope these two titans are not sparking a trend in “I” speak. Think how different the world would be with the musical, “I and the King;” or a Downeast humor duo called, “I and Bert;” or Linda Ronstadt singing, “I and you travel to the beat of a different drum.” You get the picture.
I can accept language change in general, but in this case, well, what’s the harm in holding onto a little verbal nicety in putting others first – senior management and sisters included -- and ourselves last. At least, so think I.
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Thanks, Liz from Maryland!
A Christmas-colored package arrived in the mail yesterday, addressed to the Language Lady, and with the explicit instructions to open ASAP and not wait until Christmas. Inside was a paperback titled, “Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English,” by Patricia T. O’Conner, the revised edition, 2003. So thoughtful, Liz! Thank you!! Being at home with a nasty cold, I got back into bed, fluffed up the pillows and proceeded to read this fun, funny, clever, helpful, and bestselling book that any of you faithful readers would also enjoy – or at least might want handy when The Language Lady is not clear enough for you. Patricia T. O’ Conner has apparently written loads of successful language books that are out on the market, some co-written with her husband, Stewart Kellerman, who, a zillion years ago when we both worked at United Press International, was the first to teach me the difference between “which” and “that.”
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