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Sora
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08 Dec 2007, 8:00 am

Do you like saying "I"?
Did you perhaps refrain from using this word or any form of it at a time in your life/do you still?

Figured there's no other place to ask, so I might as well do it here. I wondered whether this was somehow related to autism or not, because reading through childhood writings of my, I noticed I never once wrote "I", "mine" or anything that explicitly referred to my person. Quite scary. I can remember that my parents insisted on saying "I" and all that ("I'm hungry"), but I refrained absolutely from saying something like "I think" or whether "I like/dislike" something and nobody could make me in fear of me having a meltdown.

Now obviously I'm using "I" quite normally here. I remember that I started using "I" in writing when I learned English (I learned German before) and then started using it in German too, although I still use it a lot less in German. It's a lot harder for me to use "ich" (meaning "I") in German and people in everyday life in Germany notice that I don't. Anyways, I found it curious that I began using references to myself when I learned English as second native language and it's so easy to say "I" in English whereas it isn't in German.

I didn't find anything about this, thus I also wanted to ask whether this really has to do with autism or not?



2ukenkerl
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08 Dec 2007, 8:19 am

I DO remember being LESS LIKELY to use it, but can't remember a time when I didn't. I currently use you too much, and have thought about using one (or mann(sp?)) more.



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08 Dec 2007, 8:31 am

It is short and to the point.

Self, me, mine, have other meanings.

You are here, so you must have had a fun childhood.

This is the first time I have heard of it, and childhood was long ago for me.

One source could be, asked opinion, and then told wrong. we do take such things to heart, told to shut up, we may quit speaking. I do remember giving the shortest answer possible. Everything I said was wrong.

I learned it was their problem.



i_Am_andaJoy
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08 Dec 2007, 8:43 am

in my typing i have to go back and put it in because i will just type suff like:

"went for a walk and did this"

when i attempt to write in 1st person, so i have to go back and put them in when i type, because it's noticeable when several sentences are together. but i don't THINK,

"i went for a walk and i did this"

it just strikes me when i read stuff back. so i also write about amanda in the 3rd person because i find this easier to keep her straight in MY head, but it mostly just annoys other people. when i was little, my "i's" used to have dots on top, but they eventually lost that, and went to little pricks on the paper in highschool, invisible or much smaller than my other letters, but still big capital "I's". i always thought that was interesting, how the capital I got bigger but the lowercase faded into nothing.

my mom also used to tease me for saying "We" when i mean "I".
she would say, "We?? What, are you the queen today?"


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Sora
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08 Dec 2007, 8:54 am

i_Am_andaJoy wrote:
my mom also used to tease me for saying "We" when i mean "I".
she would say, "We?? What, are you the queen today?"


Thank you for this answer, because I just realised that I do this too!



howzat
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08 Dec 2007, 9:14 am

I tend 2 use da word i in my sentences 2 often n i was picked on a lot especially at skool.



i_Am_andaJoy
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08 Dec 2007, 9:16 am

Sora wrote:
i_Am_andaJoy wrote:
my mom also used to tease me for saying "We" when i mean "I".
she would say, "We?? What, are you the queen today?"


Thank you for this answer, because I just realised that I do this too!


:)

sometimes, have conceptualized that i do this not because i have two personalities, but because there is the part in my head that is "ME" and then the part that is still me, but makes an effort to communicate in a way that pleases my mom, teachers, society, etc.
like, as if i am my own translator.
not just verbal amanda and non-verbal exactly, but still like a seperate part that interfaces properly.


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08 Dec 2007, 9:28 am

I tend to use a lot of "I" statements because I deal with a lot of personal opinion. The only thing I can be sure about is what "I" think. It also helps people to open up about thier own experiences which is what I am after in any conversation I am participating in.

Most creative writing I do is in third person in order to allow the reader to see it from thier own perspective.

I rarely use definitive "you" statements unless I am absolutly sure I am right.


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08 Dec 2007, 10:49 am

I feel self concious about using I in speech, I think because of being told I was self-centred by my family when growing up.

One thing I find really hard is using people's names, I hated to hear my own name for about 30+ years, it made me really cringe, but can just about stand it now. I usually try to get people to notice I want to talk to them without having to say their name and use descriptions of people rather than names when talking about someone eg 'the man in the media kitchen' and 'the girl working on Listeria'

Luckily in my job we always write reports in third person passive.


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iamnotaparakeet
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08 Dec 2007, 10:55 am

The word "I" is just a pronoun referring to to the subjective-first person-singular. I have no problem using it. But it shouldn't be used heavily in papers or resumes. All so many rules to follow... *mumbles*



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08 Dec 2007, 10:59 am

Have been much criticized for ise of "we". Don't use "I" much either. Could be another unknown AS identifier. We really need statistics.


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08 Dec 2007, 11:29 am

I sometimes use "you" or even "one" instead of "I".
For example:
You might say "you" to distance yourself when you're expressing something controversial.
One might use "one" for the same reason, or when one wants to sound more intellectual.
:D



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08 Dec 2007, 11:42 am

I used to write a lot. I have my whole life written down in perfect detail from ages 13-16. Actually, I noticed that I said "I" a lot, and got really self concious about it and tried to dance around the word as much as possible.


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08 Dec 2007, 12:49 pm

I don't typically have a problem with the word I, but my ASD son does. I have more of an aversion to referring to myself by my name, or anyone else doing it. I have no idea as to why. I just cringe when I hear my name, whether I'm saying it or someone else.

I made a thread about the use of personal pronouns a few months ago. It seems that many on the spectrum have problems with referring to oneself in first person. http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf44555-0-15.html



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08 Dec 2007, 12:57 pm

Sora wrote:
Do you like saying "I"?
Did you perhaps refrain from using this word or any form of it at a time in your life/do you still?

Figured there's no other place to ask, so I might as well do it here. I wondered whether this was somehow related to autism or not, because reading through childhood writings of my, I noticed I never once wrote "I", "mine" or anything that explicitly referred to my person. Quite scary. I can remember that my parents insisted on saying "I" and all that ("I'm hungry"), but I refrained absolutely from saying something like "I think" or whether "I like/dislike" something and nobody could make me in fear of me having a meltdown.

Now obviously I'm using "I" quite normally here. I remember that I started using "I" in writing when I learned English (I learned German before) and then started using it in German too, although I still use it a lot less in German. It's a lot harder for me to use "ich" (meaning "I") in German and people in everyday life in Germany notice that I don't. Anyways, I found it curious that I began using references to myself when I learned English as second native language and it's so easy to say "I" in English whereas it isn't in German.

I didn't find anything about this, thus I also wanted to ask whether this really has to do with autism or not?

Am also have same problem,started using I in written form a couple of years ago,but it takes am a long time to filter it in own mind-to work out what it is,and then not feel right when it's there either-am not going to go through that for every bit of communication so use 'am' instead,it makes more sense to am.
Was told by the speech therapist,it was part of own autism,and it is noted in a book he compiled about am/autism.
Am wonder whether it could be to do with the abstract thinking problem in autism and aspergers,as 'I' is abstract?


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08 Dec 2007, 8:29 pm

As has already been mentioned here, I also have the tendency to type something along the lines of "do not like" or "used to", but I have to think about it. Sometimes I would like to type and speak in the third person, but I forget to or refrain from it. I will, on the odd occassion (most of my occassions are odd), refer to myself as Speedy, third person nominative. I know I am not the only one who does that...


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