Saturday, February 8, 2014

pronouns - Is naming the first person last proper grammar or just proper manners?











I cringe when someone does not follow the rule of naming the first person last:




Who went to the party?
- Me, Bobby, Sally, and Joe.




This is surprisingly common in informal spoken American English. I admit have a strong cultural bias against this practice. My native language is Spanish and listeners in informal situations often reply with el burro por delante (the donkey in front) to correct the speaker.



Another post (Which of these sentences use the correct grammar?) partially covers this topic but the answers do not conclude whether it is proper grammar or just proper manners.



Answer



It's a matter of style, or manners, if you will. Grammatically, all of the following are equally fine:





  • Jack and I went to the store.

  • I and Jack went to the store.

  • I and that stupid moron went to the store.




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