Hi guys.
I was giving something to ponder today. It has to do with grammar. (Yeah, GRAMMAR, go figure.) Anyway, I was told by someone I trust that one of the reasons I keep being perceived as less than a full half of the partnership is in part because in my blog and in other things I write about the partnership I use grammar in a deferential manner, i.e., "Cathy and I" as opposed to "Me and Cathy." Well, I'm old enough (and was taught in the midwest to boot) that the preferred phrasing I was taught as grammatically correct was _________ and I, and that Me and ________ was awkward, clumsy, and "just not done" "even if it IS technically correct." (Did I get Mrs. Koos's tone of voice down well enough for you to hear her?) I also always try to make sure that I'm giving Cathy full credit and respect. (She has since told me not to worry about it).
Anyway, in defense of my ego. It's a full partnership. Equal. Down the middle. We each do our part and are entitled to half the credit. And from now on I will try not to be deferential to the point where people assume it isn't. (I've actually had people say how "nice" it is of Cathy to "take me under her wing" and it does frustrate me a bit.) I'm not a child. I AM a writer. I DO work my patootie off to do my half.
Anyway, there you have it. Not a particularly enlightening post -- other than drawing attention to grammar and how insidious the impressions you get from choice of wording and such can be.
I actually already knew this. I mean, there are lovely examples in literature. (I'm thinking of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" as an example. My son disagrees vehemently with me, but it is my strong opinion that if you look at the book carefully you can see a real progression and difference in sentence style and vocabulary from the beginning of the book (where the man is in the asylum and talking about the gum under the bed) to the end (where he leaves the asylum) when he is no longer supposed to be quite as insane.
Ah well. My blog. My opinion.
Everybody have a great day!
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1 comment:
Hi Cie!
Just for the record, I never considered you less than half in writing the SAZI books and never even got that from your posts! You're in a partnership and that's the end of that, I can't understand why someone would try to say otherwise.
As for the _______ and I versus Me and _______ , I was taught the same way as you were - never put yourself in front of others - is the 'proper' grammar style! So once again, I don't understand what the prob is! I still prefer and use the _______ and I, it just sounds right... the other one sounds a little too egotistic to me... but I'm not a GRAMMAR expert. Although I did get Grammar God on one of those online test yourself thingies! ;)
I've never read "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", sounds like an interesting way of writing it.
Anyway, you have a GREAT day and rest assured that we ALL know how much hard work you put into the creating and writing of this series!
See Ya,
Yolanda... :)
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