to shudder whenever someone talks about themselves in the third person?

[HellAtWork]

Just read another thread where OP made good point about FB statuses encouraging people to think about themselves in the third person.

Now I have a very good and lovely friend. But she does insist on talking about herself in the third person. I think it started off as a joke (I am not sure - but definitely before the dawn of FB) but it is now firmly, not a joke to the extent that if you're serving up a dinner:

"would you like some chips/broccoli/lard with that?"
"Mmmm...Shasha loves chips/broccoli/lard"

(It is also combined with a shortening of her name and repetition so like how someone might say a child's name?). She is 42. It makes me want to throw the colander/oven tray/lard dispenser on the floor and scream You are 42 and you can answer AS you, on behalf of YOU!

It has also moved on (as well as being more frequent in general) to become a kind of petulant 3rd person thing too (a bit toddlerish) as in ShaSha hates sitting in the back seat if you're sharing a car.

Oh dear. I am being mean aren't I? And unreasonable. But it is grating hugely to the extent that I am now on edge around her, despite her being extremely lovely in so many ways. I am prepared to be told I am being unreasonable, but also please tell me how to stop my teeth itching every time this happens. Anyone else encountered this?

Or "Hellatwork is going to punch ShaSha in the face face"

Good luck, hope it works

Sometimes you've just gotta lie. Through your teeth. If it doesn't work, at least you haven't hurt her feelings. And then you can try the dart thing

I read this out to DH. His suggestion was that you reply echoing the third person, like ShaSha isnt in fact in the room.

he he he he

my (lovely) BIL is an only child. Sometimes when in company, he slopes off into a different room for a bit.

We call it Bil Being An Only Child. I prefer this manifestation of Only Childness. If he were to say "Bilbil likes cake" and take the last bit, or "Bilbil likes strong lager" etc etc, I would have to give him a clump

I've only just worked out how SHJack''s bil could be an only child... dense

Good luck, HellAtWork. Hope it works!

maras2 She has been v supportive during tough times and like I said, always the first to put her hand in her pocket, buy a round, (we are a good group like that, all reciprocal, no one is tight), organise a night out, has a wicked (and very dry) sense of humour (which is why this is even more incongruous) - it is this one tiny thing that I have magnified in my mind that is making me think..she's going to say it....she's going to say it.....and I do think I am being a bit mean by getting so wound up by it - although am a little bit relieved that others would too.

I see Bullet has provided a third option. Will see how the careers advice aimed at getting her into WWF wrestling goes down

he he he he

I can't help prefacing all the examples you've given with "Shasha likes" eg "Shasha likes providing support" etc etc

actually now you've made her sound a bit fun

There is an even worse variation on this theme: the one who boasts about what s/he is doing to help (and although I put s/he it is usually she, I fear) using such words as "Muggins here ended up driving all the children . . ." - anyone recognise this?

I had an ex (abusive, with a huge ego) who was doing this. 'Antony likes whisky', 'everybody wants Antony to dance'. When he wanted to add more emphasis he would say the full name 'no one speaks to Antony Smith like this'.

He was some kind of celebrity (dont ask who, not in uk) and i think it is part of 'creating image', the more you repeat it the more people will believe it. It was working. He used to say 'Antony is the nice guy, your next door Antony' and people would repeat it like parrots. Including me

Andrewofgg, yes thats usually when they speak to their kids 'poor mummy did so much work', 'poor daddy never sat down'.....

OP's friend sounds funny thu. Funny in the begining i guess, bloody irritating afterwards.