Say what you will about Herman Cain's press conference yesterday, it was one of the all time highpoints for the incorrect public use of the third person. Behold, this gem:
Well, I happen to think where it's coming from is that some people don't want to see Herman Cain get the Republican nomination, and some people don't want Herman Cain to become president of the United States of America.
And this:
I can't tell you what their motivation is, other than it's to stop Herman Cain.
Ask Herman Cain about Herman Cain, and Herman Cain will tell you all about Herman Cain. Is there a word for this?
Weirdly, yes. That word is illeism. The act of referring to oneself (often habitually) in the third person.
According to Wikipedia, illeism has a variety of uses including self-promotion, to give the speaker lofty airs, to illustrate the feeling of being outside one's body and watching things happen, as a form of sarcasm or as a way to show dim wittedness, such as when the Mongo in Blazing Saddles declares: "Mongo only pawn in game of life."
So why does someone become an illeist? According to Yahoo answers:
Because when you do that it makes you feel like you're not so alone. It's a psychological way of making yourself feel like there's someone with you, even if it is only yourself. He was probably picked on as a child, that usually being the cause for this behavior. On the other hand if he's doing this in a joking fashion, its just that, a joke.
Aha! it could be a joke. That backs up Rachel's Herman Cain is a Performance Artist theory.
Mr. Cain is far from alone--or first-- on this. Other famous moments in illeism include:
Richard Nixon— "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference."
The Dude (The Big Lebowski)— "I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, you know. This aggression will not stand, man."
LeBron James— "I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James and what LeBron James was going to do to make him happy."
Bob Dole— "If you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you'd probably leave them with Bob Dole. ..."
Elmo— "Lala-lala lala-lala Elmo's song. Lala-lala lala-lala Elmo's song. Me write the music, me write the words, that's Elmo's song."
Deion Sanders— "Deion Sanders is only going to play when God tells Deion Sanders it's time to play."
The Incredible Hulk— "Hulk Smash!"
Charles De Gaulle— "The French want to get rid of de Gaulle today but you will see the growth of the myth 30 years from now."
Pele— "I think of Pele as a gift of God. We have billions of billions of people in the world, and we have one Beethoven, one Bach, one Michelangelo, one Pele. That is the gift of God."
Dobby the house-elf— "Dobby is a free house-elf and he can obey anyone he likes and Dobby will do whatever Harry Potter wants him to do!"
British cycling champion Chris Hoy— "Chris Hoy thinks that the day Chris Hoy refers to Chris Hoy in the third person is the day that Chris Hoy disappears up his own arse."
If you have more examples of illeism, please share in the comments below. Kent Jones thanks you for reading this Kent Jones post, written by Kent Jones.
Leave a Comment:
As the father of a two-year-old, I just want to make a correction: It's "Elmo wrote the music, Elmo wrote the words, that's Elmo's sooooooooong."
No, it's "He wrote the music, he wrote the words."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSYadh2xmcI
Thanks, father of two-yr. old. Elmo is important to us all. Mustn'be misquoted.
And I mean that, sincerely.
I believe Anton Scalia is or was in the habit of referring to himself in the third person at speaking engagements.
Cathy thanks Kent Jones for providing this summary for Cathy to read.
The Queen of England and the Pope use "we" instead of first person singular when making official pronouncements. Is that illeism or is there another word for it?
Pomposity, perhaps.
Keepintime
The Queen of England uses the "Royal" we, because traditionally and symbolically she is speaking for the nation and not herself. It's suppose to be the absence of herself so not really pompous but really old fashioned. I think it's the same with the pope except speaking for all Catholics.
@Maria
If the Queen is speaking for the nation when she addresses the nation, does that mean she is talking to herself? Likewise for the Pope.
majestic plural or nosism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_plural
@MariaBlumberg
Sounds about right, and I stand corrected. The world needs more civility, not the present trend of less, and both are fine examples to emulate.
@Jonathan
Thanks for the link. I know I will never need to use these terms in my life, but it is interesting. When speaking in Italian in a formal situation and you are addressing someone you don't know or that is old, the verbs are expressed in the third person singular and plural rather than the informal you, singular and plural.
MikeP
She is for the nation to the nation. Not as an individual. So not really talking to herself. Elizabeth II is someone who really takes her duties seriously. Say what you will about the British monarchy she at least really takes her duties seriously.
The royal 'we.'
@Maria
I would never pick on an old lady. Chuckie boy and horse face are a different story.
Mike
Agreed.
Examples of illeism: how else could Stephen Colbert refer to his character, who has the same name?
...Herman Cain IS a piece of performance art, isn't he.
Only difference being Stephan Colbert is refering to an other when he refers to 'Stephen Colbert'. Herman Cain seems like he is refering to the public part of his personality, and that he seems to feel it is a distinctly different being from himself. scary. very scary. While Colbert is funny. very funny.
Would it be illeism if Cy Luet Knomoore refers to Lone Progressive by name, when both are in fact pen names for the same person? /sarc
Performance art project or not, speaking of oneself in the third personal is NOT a reassuring quality in a president in a time of national crisis.
Computer must be fixed! Glad to see you back Don.
Nah, I'm on a borrowed machine...but it is really good to be back. I've missed you all terribly!
Ditto, Tamlea - wbdq.
Unrelated to The Herman -- but KENT! Glad to see you around here...how come you haven't been on the show much (read: at all) lately? Michael Steele shouldn't be the only one counted on to make me laugh. :)
Cain is the new King of illeism (new word - Thanks Kent!). Yesterday's news conference probably did feel like an out-of-body experience to him.
But I'm disappointed that you have Dobby on your list. Dobby is the best house-elf ever. I sobbed uncontrollably when he died. It was awful!
I'm curious to know how Herman Cain's wife refers to Herman Cain.
perhaps she refers to him as Mrs. Cain's husband...as not to be too familiar.
I have an idea....
@keep,
Right now Mrs. Cain refers to "Herman Cain" as "here boy".......
@ZoraRenee
It's likely that no amount of begging from him would ever be enough. Forgiveness does have its limits, and it's really looking like Mr. Cain has much to atone for.
I am sure that whatever Mrs. Cain calls her husband is not suitable for posting on this site.
I never refer to myself in 3rd person; it confuses the voices.
Thanks for the laugh, Carolinaladywithfan!
Y'all are so welcome...(blushes modestly and flutters fan)
Rafael Fernandez agrees!!!
Let's not forget "Jimmy" of Seinfeld fame. He always referred to himself in the third person, such as "Jimmy likes Elaine! Jimmy thinks Elaine is cute." This ended up with George Costanza also referring to himself in the third person, as in "George is getting mad now!"
By the way, Charley is delighted to read a post from Kent. Kent makes Charley laugh!
"George likes spicy chicken!"
Disco Stu doesn't need to advertise.
'Tis Himself!
David Satlin likes new word, article, and examples. David Satlin also very much like Kent Jones. David Satlin thinks Kent Jones should post more. David Satlin thanks you for listening.
Kent; I was beginning to wonder where you were. Glad to see you're still at the old stand. When will we see you on air again? We miss you. (example of the royal "we"). Thank you for the new word.
Camolin is impressed by how entertaining Camolin's fellow responders are.
"How to spot a liar" by Pamela Meyer (TED Talks) - this is probably a pretty good thing to watch right now. Herman Cain exhibits almost every behavior she describes.
Rickey Henderson loved Rickey Henderson. These quotes are courtesy of http://www.nysportspace.com/forum/topics/873694:Topic:5281
- Rickey… on referring to himself in the third person: “Listen, people are always saying, ‘Rickey says Rickey.’ But it’s been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I’m ticked off, saying, ‘Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?’ They say, ‘Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don’t you just say, ‘I?’ But I never did. I always said, ‘Rickey,’ and it became something for people to joke about.”
- Henderson called San Diego GM Kevin Towers and left the following message: “This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”
- A reporter asked Henderson if Ken Caminiti’s estimate that 50 percent of Major League players were taking steroids was accurate. His response was, “Well, Rickey’s not one of them, so that’s 49 percent right there.”
This is quite common among professional wrestlers as well... I would imagine Cain is familiar with his target demographic and how well illeism plays with them.
"Can you smell what the Rock is cooking" ~The Rock.
Please don't burn me at a steak, but when the first woman went public, my mind also went directly to Blazing Saddles, but it was a different Quote. I'm surprised there has been little comment (at least on the Lefty news stations I clearly watch) about the implications of crossed racial boundaries.
I think you mean "stake". Unless you are planning to be dinner.
... mmmm steak....
Lone Progressive hungry... Cy Luet Knomoore needs get food for LP.
What a bunch of quick-witted sarcastic outspoken lefties!
Color us kindred spirits.
May Bobby stay and play too?
I have a feeling the Herman Cain Comedy Hour is only just beginning.
BobbySingerFan, like all kindred spirits, is appreciated here in leftieland. Welcome.
If Cain persists in indulging in illeism, he should support the Affordable Care Act and embark on the road to wellness.
The premiums were too high for Herman Cain...
From the movie The Goonies (1985):
Per IMDB:
Chunk: [the cave is falling down, the Goonies are escaping with the help of Sloth] Sloth! Come on!
Sloth: Sloth love Chunk!
Chunk: I love you too and you're going to get crushed!
Sloth: Aaaaaahhhhhhh!
And from the super cheesy movie Caveman (1981):
Shelly Long: "Atouk Tala zug zug?"
Ringo Starr: "Nyeh...Atouk zug zug Lana."