GrammarTip June 30, 2010 -- Common Pronoun Misuse

If you're looking for information on grammar, punctuation, or word usage, GrammarTip is for you. Whether you're writing marketing brochures, legal briefs, medical papers, website pages, e-mails or business letters and memos, you'll find something in each issue to help. And don't forget to take our Word Challenge!

This Week's Aside
Sentence Endings!?

Rolls Royce





When an abbreviation followed by a period comes at the end of a sentence that would normally end with a period, the sentence-ending period is dropped. If the statement is a question or an exclamation, it should end with the appropriate mark.

  • Send me the Rolls-Royce c.o.d.
  • Shall we send the Rolls-Royce c.o.d.?
  • By all means, send the Rolls-Royce c.o.d.!

Word of the Week
parlous
describe the imagePronunciation: PAHR-lus
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, alteration of perilous
Date: 14th century
Definition: full of danger or risk; hazardous
Example: "The president himself is in a parlous position with regard to support, which means with regard to his ability to persuade, to be believed, to be followed." - Peggy Noonan, WSJ, June 26-27, 2010, p. A13.

Definition source: Merriam-Webster's Eleventh Collegiate Dictionary.

Weekly GrammarTip
Keep This Between You and I?

describe the imageYou hear it all the time. Someone says, "Between you and I, this job is for the birds." Or, "They invited Mortimer and I to go out with them next week." Or even, "The general briefed the vice president and I on board Air Force 1." Help!

A compound construction is one in which two or more words share the same role in a sentence. When a pronoun is the final element in these constructions, there's a tendency to use the wrong form, particularly when the choice is between I and me. A good way to tell which form is correct in these situations is to see how the sentence would sound if that pronoun were by itself, or if it were the first word in the construction.

  • Please keep any discussion of the nominee's extreme bias between you and me. (Both you and me are OBJECTS of the preposition between. Test: You wouldn't say "...keep any discussion between I and you.")
  • It was kind of you to invite Jurbels and me to the hearing this week. (Both Jurbels and me are OBJECTS of the verbal phrase invite, which puts the pronoun in the objective case. Test: You wouldn't say, "It was nice of you to invite I to the hearing this week.")
  • Talullah and I were hoping that you would join her and me at the lake for water skiing tomorrow afternoon. (Talullah and I are both SUBJECTS of the verb were hoping; her and me are both OBJECTS of the verb join. Test: You wouldn't say, "Me and Talullah were hoping that you would join she and I." Well, at least we hope you wouldn't!)


Source: Grammar for Smart People by Barry Tarshis.

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Word Challenge
Revolution! Independence! America!

US ConstiturionAmericans venerate July 4, 1776, and celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately, many people simply see the Fourth of July as a time for backyard cookouts instead of a time to reflect on and appreciate America's rich history, precious freedom, honorable patriotism, and proud heritage. Study up on these revolutionary words, think of America's grand struggle for independence (even if you're British!) when you watch fireworks this weekend, and the sacrifice of those who died (as recently as this week) to keep the country free. And long live the Revolution! Oh, and I would like beer and chips with that burger, please.

 
  1. ancien regime: (a) America's first period of self-government, during which tea was outlawed; (b) pre-revolutionary government in Cuba; (c) the political and social system of France before the Revolution of 1789; (d) the French system of government controlling the tract of land later known as the Louisiana Purchase.
  2. Bolshevik: (a) a member of the extremist wing of the Russian Social Democratic party that seized power in Russia by the Revolution of November 1917; (b) the class of industrial workers who lack their own means of production and hence sell their labor to live; (c) of, relating to, or characteristic of the townsman or of the social middle class; (d) a supporter of the government of Russia under the czars.
  3. DAR: (a) Daughters of the American Regime; (b) Daughters of the American Revolution; (c) Daughters of the Armed Resistance; (d) Daughters of the American Renaissance.
  4. federalist: (a) an advocate of a federal union between the American colonies after the Revolution and of the adoption of the United States Constitution; (b) an American upholding the cause of the British Crown against the supporters of colonial independence during the American Revolution; (c) one who joins in a secession or maintains that secession is a right; (d) a member of the group that opposed the adoption of the United States Constitution.
  5. nonjuror: (a) an alternate member of a jury; (b) a member of a jury whose vote counts only to break a tie vote; (c) a person refusing to take an oath especially of allegiance, supremacy, or abjuration; (d) a former judge.
  6. tyranny: (a) governmental indifference, apathy; (b) a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes; (c) oppressive power exerted by government; (d) armed insurrection.
  7. promulgate: (a) to make (as a doctrine) known by open declaration; (b) to acknowledge publicly; (c) to support publicly; (d) to act (as in take up arms) in revolt.
  8. Iceni: (a) ancient capital of Iceland, before the seal uprising of 1421; (b) an ancient British people that under their queen Boudicca revolted against the Romans in A.D. 60; (c) a native American people that under their queen Sacajawea revolted against the Shawnee in 1745; (d) treatment for an injured kneecap.
  9. squib: (a) a short news item; a filler news article; (b) a broken firecracker in which the powder burns with a fizz; (c) a small electric or pyrotechnic device used to ignite a charge; (d) all the above.
  10. petard: (a) a firework that explodes with a loud report; (b) a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall; (c) both the above; (d) none of the above.

Click here for the answers!