Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-10
THE MISUSE OE PRONOuNS.


Instances Of incuherence arise more
often, perhaps from the misuse of pro-
nouns than from the misuse Of any
other part nj speech. Such misuse of
pionouns often involves nothing worse
ihau inslogdnco or the possibility that
the writer's meaning may be absurdly
misinterpreted, but sometimes mis-
used pronnnn makos Is Huntence or a
paragraph obscure.
1t will he well to take up first the
misuse OF personal pr0nouns, and to
begin with an illustrative example.
1.-THE Americans soon realized that
they would be nf great value to than"
wrote student in discussing the
origin of slavery 10 tho United StatCs.
The sentence as it stands ia incoherent,
because the relation OF the pronounH to
other words is not clear. The defect is
remedied by substituting 1.-THE slaves
for the "they." There arp great
many instances in which obscurity
arising from the misuss of personal
pronouns may be cleared up 10y putting
In place of the ambiguous pronoun the
noun for which it stands.
a familiar type Of incoherence arising
from the misuse Of personal pronouns
is furnished in this sentence, THE
doctor told his colchman that he would
have to be mora careful how he drove
or he would endanger his life" or
course the simplest way to make such
sentence clear 10 to use the direct in
stead of the indirect address. thus,
"Ths doctor said 10 hia coachmnn,
You must be more careful how you
drive or you will endanger my life. "
| The use "of the Doctors" in place Of
the second "his'' would correct the
incoherenCe Of the sentence, but such
a form of expression, while unmis-
takahly coherent and clear, would be
awkward.
Young writers often use plural PRO
noun in referring 10 a singular ante
cedenL This form of iDcoherence often
brings about inelegance rather than
obscurity. Comparing the negro Of
to day with those OF 1860 we lind them
much improved, wrote student in
discussing the origin, growth and
abolition of slavery in the United
States. The sentence may be corrected
by pluralizing negro or by repeat
ing NEGRO" where "those" occurs,
and putting Thin" in plaes Of them. !"
Some able writer's now aud then use
a personal pronoun hofore they have
expressed the noun to which it refers
This ia in its effect moro often in
elegant than obscure, yet such usage
involves sort Of ineoherence and it
may involve obscurity. An extreme
example is, II dislike their manners
who interrupt and contradict other
speakers. - Such a sentence is hardly
obscure, yet the mind dwells con-
fusedly a moment on their, wonder
ing to what it refers. II dislike the
manners of those,'' &C., is better.
The rhetorical management of rela.
tive pronouns involves in the main
questions as TO the management oil
relative clauses. Young writers fire.
guently offend in the matter of piling
up relative clauses ono upon another.
1t is right enough to use several rela
tive clauses 10 succession, provided
they have a common antecadent, hut I
succession Of relative clauses Dependent
one upon another, and hitched tuRethe
like sausage links, may bring about al
awkward and sometimes obscure con
struction. A succession of RELATIVE
clauses with common antecedent il
shown in this sentence: This is |
book that I have enjoyed, that l thinl
you will enjoy hut which | cannot re
commend TO every young man. Sucl
: sentence is OF proper construction
, and altogether coherent. Here is sen
tence with succession Of relativ,
clauses dependent not upon common
antecedent, hut upon one another
! when you come across thu book tina
, tha professor whom We met al the hous
Of the old gentleman whose evening
reception We thought so pleasant recon
mended. please send it to me-" Her
, We have the sausage, link construction
J II is to the mind uistrarting and loose
Ii cannot be corrected, by the way
! simply by emitting the first two rela
tive pronouns. That would be merel.
, to make the sentence more slovenly.
: What has been written is far from
! eShausting the subject of pronouns, bu
the sui iect is too difficult for ex
, haustive treatment ip such a series o
articles as these. Enough has beei
Haid, however, to give some hint o
, what students about to enter Delawar
J College may reasonably he expected t
, know. The next Of these articles vii
take up the subjsct of American Litera
, turs, but the subject Of composition
will in few weeks bu resumed.
HfTngf,yI ygEx DfNE