Granny Grammarian: The “Self”-Aware Writer

by Granny Grammarian

Primum Verbum Specta: First, look at the verb.

So many issues of grammar can be resolved with this simple rule coined by extraordinarius latinus magistra Penelope Cipelone. Find the verb; then find the subject of that verb; then figure out what that subject is doing to the other elements in the sentence to make sure they all fall into their proper place.

A recent poll of writers (and readers who care about such things) listed the grammatical nails-on-a-chalkboard errors they loathe the most. Some went so far to say they would hurl a book into the trash can (dustbin, if you’re English) when they found such errors. I couldn’t help noticing how many of those mistakes were a simple case of ignoring the verb.

I’ll start with one of my own pet grammatical peeves: myself. 

No, I don’t mean me personally; I’m speaking of the usage of the reflexive pronoun to refer to the subject of the verb. 

I did it myself.

I love myself. 

I myself do not like liver and onions.

A reflexive pronoun cannot be the subject of a predicate; only a nominative (a.k.a. subjective) pronoun (I, we, you, he, she, it, they) can do that—or do anything, for that matter. You can’t make another person the receptor or initiator of your actions using that person’s reflexive pronoun. Consider the wrongness of these statements:

I did it yourself.

I love himself.

I themselves do not like liver and onions.

If you aren’t shuddering or chortling at those, you might need this lesson. I’m taking it for granted you’re all smart enough to know better. 

However, how do you respond to these?

When you finish the form, you can give it to myself or drop it in the box.

Please notify myself of your intentions in an email to my office.

Myself and my colleagues will be happy to take your comments at the conclusion.

If that didn’t bother you, you don’t understand the concept of looking at the verb first, the subject second, and then the affected elements of the rest of the sentence. If someone else is the subject of that verb, that person must be referenced with an objective pronoun (me, us, you, him, her, it, them). No one else can give anything to yourself; they can only give it to you. No one else can notify yourself; they can, however, notify you. More significantly, yourself can’t perform a verb (see nominative pronoun above); only you can do that.

A look at the verb in each of the examples above would make it clear which pronoun should be used. For the verb “can give” in the first sentence, the subject is “you”; the proper grammar is “you can give it to me.” In the second example, the understood subject of the imperative form of the verb “notify” is the nominative pronoun “you”; therefore, once again, the proper grammar is “you can notify me.” The verb in the third example is “will be.” “Myself” cannot be the subject of that verb, so you must use the nominative pronoun “I”: “I will be happy…” The etiquette of English dictates the sentence should read, “My colleagues and I will be happy…”

Now that you are “self”-aware, be certain not to use these errors in official correspondence with your editors or agent. You never know who’s also “self”-aware.

And remember: primum verbum specta.