undefined | Better HN

0 pointsmnarayan0111y ago0 comments

  The reason I'm writing is that I'm helping to put together a conference on [a particular topic].

Really does need the personal pronoun, and the usage in subsequent sentences may just be the author continuing to write in the same "style".

0 comments

4 comments · 1 top-level

Spearchucker11y ago· 3 in thread

So how about "We're putting together a conference..." or "Org name is putting together a..."? Even if you're the driver behind the conference, it just seems more charitable to use "we".

As kids we were taught by our parents to avoid I, me and my in letters we wrote to our grandparents. It was (is?) seen as rude. The justification wasn't about status at all, but rather about ego. The worst offense was beginning a letter with I. At least it was in German in the '70's. Anyway, the habit stuck but lately I find myself slipping.

pyre11y ago

I was never taught anything like that, but in one of my high school English classes all of our essays had to be written in the third person, so I get gain some experience doing it.

I actually put it to good use writing some email newsletters for a local conference where I tried to eliminate usage of I/we/etc because I felt that it was more professional.

_glass11y ago

In Germany in the 90s is was still common place. And I see myself carefully avoiding the first, singular personal pronoun.

lotsofcows11y ago

Modern USAian usage seems to favour, "I myself". Make of that what you will.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse