Do you think the phrase "enjoy myself" is a bit colloquial? Somehow I envision some southern Colonel saying, "I sat myself down for a spell and enjoyed myself." Should I write "I went to the party, sat down in a dark corner, and enjoyed himself," or "I went to the party, sat down in a dark corner, and enjoyed it"? To me, the former makes it sound like some auto-erotic experience.
Enjoy myself
- Thread starter Lance_in_Shanghai
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2008
- Messages
- 3,250
- Reaction score
- 1,079
Auto-erotic experience? Hmmmm – well, now that you mention it, could be.
OTH, I think that our ‘inner ear’ is so accustomed to hearing that, that we automatically translate it to meaning enjoyed the ‘event,’ rather than the carnal.
OTH, I think that our ‘inner ear’ is so accustomed to hearing that, that we automatically translate it to meaning enjoyed the ‘event,’ rather than the carnal.
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2006
- Messages
- 4,527
- Reaction score
- 1,182
- Location
- Ottawa, Canada and Spring City, PA
- Website
- janetursel.com
Seeing as you haven't shown us what he's enjoying about being in the corner, some people's minds would definitely head in that direction.
I think the reflexive word 'myself' is what's wrong here. You need to be more specific and make clear what he enjoyed, by using an object noun.
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed the atmosphere.
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed a bowl of pretzels..
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed a cold beer.
etc etc
It gives a better picture for readers so they are more involved.
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed the atmosphere.
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed a bowl of pretzels..
I sat in a dark corner and enjoyed a cold beer.
etc etc
It gives a better picture for readers so they are more involved.
I'm from the south, but not a colonel, and I don't believe I have ever heard someone say they sat somewhere and enjoyed themselves. Matter-of-fact, in my circle I can't remember the last time I heard someone using the word "enjoy." I think we most often use the word "like" rather than enjoy. I suppose we hear "enjoy" on television, but it does not get common useage around here. I think Anna is correct in suggesting an object noun.
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2009
- Messages
- 161
- Reaction score
- 12
I'm a Southerner. I've heard/said, "I enjoyed myself." But it does sound like it needs an object for the verb rather than the reflexive pronoun. Never thought about the connotations in that phrase. Glad you pointed it out!
Did you have a good time?
Yes, I enjoyed myself.
OR
Did you enjoy yourself?
Yes.
These seem fine to me.
Yes, I enjoyed myself.
OR
Did you enjoy yourself?
Yes.
These seem fine to me.
Absolutely, but you still have to be careful with the rest of your sentence.
For instance, the original poster wrote:
Now, ignoring the I/himself mistake, which we'll just chalk up to message board typo, the sentence does read as a masturbation line. Of course, this may have been intentional, but I am going on the premise that he, himself, is enjoying the party. In which case, the sentence itself is somewhat unclear.
I would break it up.
"I went to the party and sat down in a dark corner. The crowd, the noise, even the smell of the stale alcohol and cigarette smoke brought back many memories from my college days. I really enjoyed myself that night."
That way, it is more clear what was enjoyed.
On a side note, I just found this grammar section of this website, and I am really enjoying myself here.
I agree with this. I think, the problem is one participant roles in a list of verbs:
went to a party --> subject = agent
sat down --> subject = agent
enjoyed myself --> subject = experiencer
But since you had two agents in the list, it's easy to recast the third as:
enjoyed myself --> subject = agent
So that you'll ask yourself what the character is actually doing.
Ludka's rewrite breaks up the list and focuses on setting, so that its easier to see "enjoyed myself" as a reaction to the setting (which is how it is inteded, rather than as a deliberate action, which the list suggests to humorous effect.)
I think the dark corner part has relevance Enjoy yourself in well-lit areas, and you'll be fine!
Enjoy yourself in well-lit areas, and you'll be fine!- Status