Re: General nit

"Nev" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> When speaking or writing your opinion, why say/write "My personal
opinion",
> "My personal belief", etc.? Using the word 'personal' after 'My' in such
> statements is redundantly unnecessary [umm... anybody catch that?] because
> it's *understood* to be solely yours without you having to state so.
>
> Just say/write "My opinion", "My belief", etc.
>
It's just part of some sort of feeling in our culture where we have to put
superfluous words into our statements to make them sound more important or
intelligent.  I took an English class in college, and the professor BEGGED
us not to write like that.  She asked us, when writing a paper, not to write
"I am of the opinion" but "I think."  For some reason, people don't tend to
write like they speak.

Instead of saying
"Hey Bob!  Where's a good place to eat?"
"Oh, Burger King is the best."

people want to type
"Excuse me, Bob.  What are your feelings on where it might be good to get a
great meal for a decent price."
"Well, John, my personal belief is that it would be best for you to go to
Burger King."

It happens all the time.

Listen to talk radio and pay attention to the number of callers who begin
their conversations with:
"I was calling to make a comment..."
REALLY??!!!
Why not just go ahead and make a comment.  Unless the talk radio host is
very new, and this is his VERY first caller ever, does he really need to be
told that the caller was calling to make a comment?

Or how about when people preface an question with "I have a question..."
Why not just go ahead and ask your damn question?  I would imagine that most
people won't freak out when asked a question without first being warned.