When did it become a thing

[SilverySurfer]

That people started saying 'me/myself, DH and DCs'? The correct term is DH, DCs and I. As an example, me/myself, DH and DCs went to London. I went to London is correct, me/myself went to London is obviously wrong.

Boo to you too - whatever that’s meant to convey.

whatever that’s meant to convey

Down with that sort of thing

You mean the sort of correct spelling and grammar that makes the language comprehensible? Why would anyone wish to lose that?

@RosaWaiting in that context? Or just generally? Lay is the grammatically correct past tense of lie.

That's interesting, so if saying it correctly makes you think that you sound like a pretentious arsehole, how do you think it makes you sound when using it incorrectly? Is it to fit in with those around you?

I do this too. My friends would have teased me at school and called me a posh twat for using "and I" instead of "me". It's normal for the people I know to use "me" so, when I use it incorrectly, I think I sound normal. It would be waaaay more weird for someone to use "and I", it sounds very middle class to me but then it's probably been teased into me.

It's normal for the people I know to use "me" so

But this is the point, "me" is the natural spoken language, everyone used it, until the English written grammar started getting lots of latin rules. Using it in writing might well be sensible, those rules are accepted even if they'll only annoy the grammar nazi. But using it in speech is quite odd, it's ungrammatical in language terms, and the changing from "and me" to "and I" is done purely to signify that you know the grammatical rule.

languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3469

has links to more of the discussion and a background, the original 1985 paper that coined the term is online too.

The other thing I wonder is why so few people proofread before posting? Is it because they use a mobile phone (I use a laptop)? They seem to have it set to correct what the system deems to be the wrong word and replaces it with nonsense. They then repost to say sorry dumblebum should read sausages etc. The same thing happens in titles.

I'm a neanderthal and my mobile phone is a basic PAYG with no internet access and is rarely charged so I'm wondering, does using a phone to access MN make it difficult or impossible to proofread before posting?

Can I ask why I keep seeing 'a women' all the time, rather than 'a woman'? I am pretty sure it can't just be autocorrect, although it's more likely than 'rediculous'!

The other thing I wonder is why so few people proofread before posting?

Because it's a pointless waste of time - communication is not about knowledge of grammar rules, mistakes are harmless.

Ah thank you Bobbin Autocorrect is the word I was trying to remember.

sirfredfredgeorge A pointless waste of time for you maybe, but judging by this and other threads on the subject, not for everyone.

The incorrect use of MYSELF drives me mad - usually people who think it sounds more eloquent or posh?? ‘Please contact myself if...’ NO

The other thing I wonder is why so few people proofread before posting?

Because it's a pointless waste of time -

True, so long as

a) you doing mind people thinking you're an idiot and/or

b) you don't mind your post being completely incomprehensible (which happens regularly on here)!

a) you doing mind people thinking you're an idiot and/or

Now see, I have no problem understanding that statement, but I suspect others may think you should have corrected after proofreading it.

I also hate it when people use 'dialect' as an excuse.

Dialect does not equal bad grammer. Dialect tends to be a different turn of phrase or pronunciation.

Overusing myself/herself, using less/fewer or number and amount incorrectly is bad grammar and is not down to the part of the country you're from.

@sirfredfredgeorge

That was almost painfully perfect.

I think it's because 'so and so and I' sounds too posh to their ears and they try and soften it using 'myself'.

I'm ashamed to admit that I genuinely thought 'myself and x' was an acceptable way to speak until I was about 18! Some people maybe just don't know it's bad grammar??

BrigitsBigKnickers this pisses me off no end. Years ago I tried to explain this to a colleague and he just told me I was stupid and laughed at me!