LEND ME YOUR EAR: WREAKING HAVOC WITH LANGUAGE

(alternate title: The air is reeking with "wrecking" for "wreaking")

Lake Superior State University at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has released its annual list of abused and overused words and expressions, based on submissions by the public from newspapers, radio, television, and their own conversations. I note with some satisfaction that a number of offenses banned by the group have been on my hit list for years.

One such has made Lake Superior's Dishonored List for more than a decade: the misuse of "myself." In my second language column (Dec. 10, 1982), titled "Me, Myself, and I," I explained that "myself" is a reflexive pronoun and is used only when preceded by "I". However, many otherwise literate writers and speakers, perhaps in an effort to conceal their doubt about whether to use "I" or "me", settle for "myself." "Myself" is required in statements such as: "I couldn't have done it more quickly myself." But "My wife and myself" won't wash. "My wife and I" will. An improvement in behavior as well as grammar.

Occasionally, we discover someone using "me" where "myself" is in order. In a commercial on CNN, a very pleasant lady who has written a book about how to lose weight, tells us she has lost 160 pounds, and now, she adds, "I like me." I like this Ph.D. too, but I'd like her better if she were to say "I like myself."

One of the Lake Superior contributors complained that "if you will" is so offensive to him it causes sleepless nights and nightmares. We agree with him that it adds nothing to whatever is being said, and is fast becoming a useless cliche. Cliches banned for the same reason by authorities on usage include "in fact", "as a matter of fact," and "the fact of the matter is."

In my view, "one of the people" should be dishonored by every writer and public speaker, yet I seldom find it condemned. Again and again, I have quoted Strunk and White's observation in The Elements of Style that if you take five people from six people you have only one people left. But so far few writers or speakers have substituted "persons" for "people" if the number can be counted.

"As far as" is another expression I have been trying to explain for years with little success insofar as I know. ("Insofar as" is more formal and less commonly used.) "as far as" is acceptable if followed by a simple subject and verb. "As far as I know" is correct, though "as for this", "as to that", "concerning" or "regarding" will save your skin as well as words.

This brings up the distinction between "regard" and "regards" once again. Both words suggest admiration, esteem, but "in regards to" and "with regards to" are considered substandard. To express "warm regards" to someone is acceptable. "Give my regards to Broadway" may ring a bell for those who remember. But "regard" remains singular if used as the object of a preposition: "in regard to" or "with regard to", as cited. However, "as regards" is correct, and says the same thing in only two words.

Lake Superior contributors disapproved redundancies in general, and among those I keep trying to ban are "revert back" and "return back." For a reason that eludes me, the word "oxymoron" is now being touted throughout the land. Unlike the redundant expression, the oxymoron contradicts itself. "Cruel kindness" and "deafening silence" are examples. One Lake Superior humorist offered "student-athlete", but this is unfair. Quite often, an outstanding athlete proves to be just as outstanding a student. Still, let us be grateful to the humorist for resisting a literal definition of this resurrected term. At least he didn't come up with "stupid ox."

Two or more years ago, I censured Oprah Winfrey for "wrecking havoc" instead of "wreaking havoc." Today, the air seems to be reeking with this troublesome gaffe. American Heritage suggests the confusion may be because the wreaking of damage could leave a wreck.

Whatever the reason, I'm greatly distressed to discover men in high places "wrecking havoc." Why would these men pay more attention to Oprah than to me?

Never mind answering this question. Let me guess!