We have already
learned about two important groups of pro-nouns: the personal pronouns and the relative
pronouns. In this chapter, we’ll examine the four other groups, which,
though perhaps not as prominent in some grammars, are words that we need every
day.
These pronouns are
tricky to discuss in an orderly way because grammarians have different ways of
sorting them out, and some pronouns fit into two or more categories, depending
on the way we use them. (There’s that form
and function idea again.) The
relative pronoun who can also be an
interrogative pronoun. The relative pronoun that
can also be a demonstrative pronoun. So it goes.
THE REFLEXIVE
PRONOUNS
The reflexive pronouns are compound words.
In each one, the first part is a personal pronoun and the second part is always
–self. They are often used for
emphasis:
I’ll do the job myself!
All right, do it yourself.
He really should do it himself.
We should all do it ourselves.
She herself told them to do it themselves!
Notice that in all
the examples above, the reflexive pronouns are redundant—without them, the
sentences would communicate the same meanings, but less emphatically. When used
this way, the –self pronouns are
often called intensifying pronouns.
(In the last example above, by the way, herself
is an appositive for she.)
Just as often,
reflexive pronouns communicate something about the subjects of the sentence
performing actions upon themselves—making the action reflexive:
Jim hurt himself.
June found herself in an enviable
situation.
Emily and Roy removed themselves from
the competition.
Well, this vase didn’t break itself.
A bit later we
will examine the indefinite pronouns, including one. We mention it here because
one has the reflexive oneself (which
is sometimes written one’s self):
One should take care of oneself.
As you see, the
reflexive pronouns can be in the first, second, or third person. When the first
part is plural, the second part is, too. That is, there is no ourself or themself, although you may sometimes hear people say those words.
(There is also no hisself, but you’ll
hear that, too.)
Use yourself
or yourselves as the context
requires.
THE
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
Demonstrative pronouns are four common and easy pro-nouns (usually used nominally, but sometimes adjectivally) that call attention to the antecedents. They are typically present in the immediate verbal or physical context:
This is the guilty person!
That is the murderer!
These are his victims!
Those were his motives!
He used these weapons on those
victims for that reason!
Officer, arrest this man!
These pronouns (that’s
another one!) direct the audience’s attention
to a particular word in the verbal context, or to a person or thing in the
physical context.
THE
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
There are also the
five familiar interrogative pronouns,
which we use in questions every day:
Who threw that pie?
Which of you bozos threw that?
At whom did he throw that?
Whose meringue pie was thrown?
Hey, what happened to my pie?
Notice that these
five are identical to the five relative pronouns— except for the relative that, which has been replaced by what.
As the examples show, these
words (except the possessive whose)
usually fill a nominal function in questions. In that way, they enable us to ask questions that can be answered with a noun.
Several –ever pronouns (whoever, whichever, and whatever)
can also be used as interrogative pronouns:
Whoever would throw my pie?
Whatever caused him to do it?
THE INDEFINITE
PRONOUNS
The last and
largest of the pronoun classes are the indefinite
pronouns, which are indefinite
because they are typically used without
any clear, specific antecedents. They are sometimes organized into several
overlapping groups.
There is usually
little point in learning these subclasses of indefinite pronouns, but the
subclasses give us a way to discuss these pronouns in an organized fashion.
The Indefinite
Singulars:
These include the
-body, -one, and -thing pronouns,
and several negative pronouns:
Anybody, everybody, somebody, nobody
Anyone, everyone, someone, no one
Anything, everything, something, nothing
Among the
indefinite singulars are also each, one, another,
and none, and either and neither:
Everyone can have some dinner.
Each of us should have some.
No one will be left out.
Everybody will get plenty.
Hey, I’ve got plenty of nothing.
The Indefinite
Plurals:
These are any, some,
and all; both, few, and several; and enough, plenty, and more.
All of us are responsible.
Some of us should accept responsibility.
At least a few accepted it.
Well, more should accept it.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
The Indefinite
Portions:
These are all
singular, and they all refer to a portion of something that cannot be counted
out, but only measured in quantities, like Jell-O or mashed potatoes: all and none; little and less; much and more; and some, enough, and plenty.
Have you had some?
Yes, but I’ll take more.
You should take less.
Hey, I’ve still
got plenty of nothing.
Well, nothing is plenty for you (said
Porgy).
While the personal
pronouns have a special possessive form, the possessives of some indefinite
pronouns are formed by adding –’s: one’s, everyone’s, nobody’s.
When else follows a pronoun (as in anybody else, everyone else, or no one else), it is considered part of the pronoun. In those cases, the possessive is formed by
adding –’s to else: anybody else’s, everyone else’s, and no one else’s:
Do all these pronouns make anybody else’s
head hurt?
Still Others:
Some authorities
include among these indefinite pronouns a few words that we’ve seen before, the
compound pronouns based on -ever: whoever, whomever, whichever, and
whatever.
Like
the preceding indefinite pronouns, the -ever
pronouns can be used in statements containing no explicit antecedent—and are
often used when the writer or speaker does not know the antecedent:
Whoever made this mess must clean it up!
You can choose whichever you like.
Whatever it is (Groucho once said), I’m against it.
Similarly, the reciprocal pronouns may be indefinite
or may refer to specific people, depending on the context.
There are only two
reciprocals: each other and one another. By the strictest rules of
usage, each other is used to refer to
two people; one another should be
used for three or more:
The Diefenbacher twins are always arguing with
each other.
“If God loved us, my dear
friends, we also must love one another.” (1 John 4: 11)
Finally, it (also a personal pronoun) is
sometimes an indefinite pronoun, used idiomatically to refer vaguely to
weather, general circumstances, or some unspecified subject in the context:
It may rain.
You could master any foreign language if you
kept at it.
Whatever it is (Groucho said again), I’m
against it.
“So it goes,” said Mr. Vonnegut.
And, even more finally, many
of the words in this chapter are also used adjectivally as well as nominally:
This door; that door.
Some doors; all doors.
Few doors; one door.
POINTS FOR
WRITERS
1. They are
everywhere.
Sometimes,
especially in casual conversation and careless writing, we use they as an indefinite pronoun, referring
(often negatively) to unspecified groups of people:
They are all against me!
They are all part of a plot!
And, furthermore, they think I’m
paranoid!
Avoid this vague,
careless, and indefinite use of they
(or they will get you).
2. Redundant
reflexives.
Sometimes
reflexive pronouns are absolutely necessary, as with certain verbs:
I pride myself on my knowledge of
geography.
But we often use reflexives unnecessarily:
I myself prefer my coffee black.
Using unnecessary
reflexives is not a terrible error, but it doesn’t contribute anything to a
sentence, either.
3. The number
of none.
Traditionally none has been declared a singular
pronoun. Today none is often accepted
as singular or plural, as the context and the writer’s intention require:
None of the players is [or are]
here.
EXERCISES
1. We’ve
examined four classes of pronouns in this chapter. Write the names of the four classes and check your list by looking
back through the chapter.
2. Now,
for each of the four classes, write as many pronouns as you can remember. Check your lists by looking back and write
down those you forgot.
3. Write
one sentence that contains an example of each of the four classes you listed above. Compare your sentences with the
examples in this chapter.
4. Each
of the following sentences contains at least one example of the pronouns described in this chapter. Classify each
underlined example.
What are you doing?
Who wants to know?
That is the dumbest question anyone ever asked.
I myself am going to
teach you some manners because you obviously have none.
Both of you need to stop this immediately.
I doubt that you can do anything to
stop us.
Whatever could you do?
Anybody who tries
to stop me is going to get it.
Can’t someone do something to help me?
I’ve had enough of all of you.
(Pronouns bring out the worst in some people.)
