Illeism Explained

Illeism (; from Latin ille: “he; that man”) is the act of referring to oneself in the third person instead of first person. It is sometimes used in literature as a stylistic device. In real-life usage, illeism can reflect a number of different stylistic intentions or involuntary circumstances.

In literature

Early literature such as Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico or Xenophon's Anabasis, both ostensibly non-fictional accounts of wars led by their authors, used illeism to impart an air of objective impartiality, which included justifications of the author's actions. In this way personal bias is presented, albeit dishonestly, as objectivity.

In an essay, theologian Richard B. Hays challenged earlier findings that he disagrees with: "These were the findings of one Richard B. Hays, and the newer essay treats the earlier work and earlier author at arms' length."[1]

Illeism may also be used to show idiocy, as with the character Mongo in Blazing Saddles, e.g. "Mongo like candy" and "Mongo only pawn in game of life"; though it may also show innocent simplicity, as it does with Harry Potter's Dobby the Elf ("Dobby has come to protect, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door"). The childlike Sesame Street Muppet character Elmo almost exclusively speaks in the third person.

In the Babylonian Talmud and related texts, illeism is used extensively, often taking the form of the speaker utilizing the expression hahu gavra ("That man") when referring to himself.[2]

In everyday speech

In different contexts, illeism can be used to reinforce self-promotion, as used to sometimes comic effect by Bob Dole throughout his political career ("When the president is ready to deploy, Bob Dole is ready to lead the fight on the Senate Floor", Bob Dole speaking about the Strategic Defense Initiative at the NCPAC convention, 1987). This was particularly made notable during the United States presidential election of 1996 and lampooned broadly in popular media for years afterwards. Deepanjana Pal of Firstpost noted that speaking in the third person "is a classic technique used by generations of Bollywood scriptwriters to establish a character's aristocracy, power and gravitas".[3]

On the other hand, third person self-referral can be associated with self-deprecation, irony, and not taking oneself too seriously (since the excessive use of the pronoun "I" is often seen as a sign of narcissism and egocentrism),[4] as well as with eccentricity in general. Psychological studies show that thinking and speaking of oneself in the third person increases wisdom and has a positive effect on one's mental state because an individual who does so is more intellectually humble, more capable of empathy and understanding the perspectives of others, and is able to distance emotionally from one's own problems.[5] [6] [7] [8]

Accordingly, in certain Eastern religions, like Hinduism, illeism is sometimes seen as a sign of enlightenment, since through it, an individual detaches their eternal self (atman) from their bodily form; in particular, Jnana yoga encourages its practitioners to refer to themselves in the third person.[9] Known illeists of that sort include Swami Ramdas,[10] Anandamayi Ma,[11] and Mata Amritanandamayi.[12]

A number of celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe,[13] [14] Alice Cooper, and Deanna Durbin,[15] referred to themselves in the third person to distance their public persona from their actual self. Mary J. Blige, in her song "Family Affair", introduces herself in the third person.

Some parents use illeism (refer to themselves as "Daddy" or "Mommy") because very young children may not yet understand that the pronouns "I" and "you" refer to different people based on context.[16] [17] Toddlers acquiring speech often refer to themselves in the third person before learning proper usage of the pronoun "I", and their speech evolves past using illeism once they develop a strong sense of self-recognition, often before age two.[18]

Notable illeists

Real people

Politics and military

Sports

Entertainment

Religion and spirituality

Other

Fictional characters

Books

Comics

Television

Film

Manga and anime

Video games

See also

Notes and References

  1. Richard B. Hays, “‘Here We Have No Lasting City’: New Covenantalism in Hebrews” in Richard J. Bauckham et al. (eds.), The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), 151–173, esp. 151–152, 167.
  2. Cf. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chagigah 15a
  3. News: Rahul Gandhi, blurring lines between filmi and real politicians . Firstpost . 2014-01-28 . 2014-08-06.
  4. 10.1111/j.1467-6494.1988.tb00892.x . 3404383 . 56 . 2 . Narcissism and the Use of Personal Pronouns . 1988 . Journal of Personality . 393–404 . Raskin . Robert.
  5. Web site: Illeism: The ancient trick to help you think more wisely . . 2023-04-14 . 2023-07-04.
  6. Web site: Why speaking to yourself in the third person makes you wiser . . 2019-08-07 . 2020-07-10.
  7. Web site: The Benefits of Talking About Yourself in the Third Person . . 2018-04-16 . 2020-07-10.
  8. Web site: The Psychological Case for Talking in the Third Person . . 2015-02-25 . 2020-07-10.
  9. Web site: Hinduism-The Religious Life. uwyo.edu. 7 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151022044734/http://www.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/hinduism/hrlife.htm. 22 October 2015. dead.
  10. Web site: Swami Ramdas. bhagavan-ramana.org. 7 October 2015. 2 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111002182825/http://bhagavan-ramana.org/swamiramdas.html. dead.
  11. Book: Orianne Aymard

    . 978-0199368631. When a Goddess Dies: Worshipping Ma Anandamayi after Her Death. Aymard. Orianne. Orianne Aymard. 2014-05-01. Oxford University Press .

  12. Web site: rediff.com: The Rediff Interview/Mata Amritanandmayi. rediff.com. 7 October 2015.
  13. Book: Spoto, Donald . Marilyn Monroe: The Biography. Rowman & Littlefield. 2001. 9780815411833. 324.
  14. Book: Leaming, Barbara . Marilyn Monroe. Crown. 2010. 9780307557773. 404.
  15. Private letter to film historian/critic William K. Everson in the late 1970s
  16. Web site: Language – Why do parents refer to themselves in the third person?.
  17. Web site: Why do We Refer to Ourselves in the Third Person when We Talk to Our Kids?.
  18. Lewis. Michael. Ramsay. Douglas. 2004. Development of Self-Recognition, Personal Pronoun Use, and Pretend Play During the 2nd Year. Child Development. en. 75. 6. 1821–1831. 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00819.x. 15566382 . 1467-8624.
  19. Book: The Cambridge Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare's times, texts, and stages. Alexander . Catherine M. S.. Cambridge University Press. 2003. 9780521808002. 101.
  20. See the Wikisource of the book:
  21. Book: Glass, Loren Daniel . Authors Inc: Literary Celebrity in the Modern United States, 1880–1980. 29. NYU Press. 2004. 9780814731604.
  22. Book: Eisenhower. Dwight. at ease. registration. 1967. DoubleDay & Company. 214.
  23. France: Third Person Singular. https://web.archive.org/web/20070322192201/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944142,00.html. dead. March 22, 2007. 1970-10-19. Time Magazine. 2009-01-22.
  24. Web site: Bob Dole Needs to Put the 'I' in Identity. 1996-03-10. 2012-12-07. Los Angeles Times. Harris . Scott.
  25. News: Why do some people refer to themselves in the third person?. 2015-08-28. BBC News. 7 October 2015. Barford. Vanessa.
  26. Web site: Acervo Digital VEJA – Digital Pages. abril.com.br. 7 October 2015. 12 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121012124801/http://veja.abril.com.br/041198/p_154.html. dead.
  27. Web site: Bourn . Chris . Why People Like Trump Refer to Themselves in the Third Person . Mel Magazine . 27 April 2018 . 2 May 2020.
  28. Web site: Hang me if I have committed any crime, but no apology, Narendra Modi says – The Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2014-04-16 . 2014-08-06.
  29. Web site: 泛民5名單報名參選超區議席 . now.com . 2016-07-17 . 2016-07-17.
  30. Book: Manthorpe, Jonathan. Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan. St. Martin's Griffin . 2005. 15.
  31. Web site: Johnny Cueto was pretty impressed with Johnny Cueto's Game 5 gem in this third-person interview. 2015-10-15. Landers . Chris . mlb.com. How was Johnny Cueto able to step up in such a pivotal Game 5? "Games like this are where you see Johnny Cueto – the real Johnny Cueto." Yes, Cueto gave his interview through an interpreter, but if you listen closely, you'll hear the pitcher was speaking in the third person the whole time..
  32. News: Read the best Zlatan Ibrahimovic quotes on the outspoken Swedish striker's birthday . The Mirror. 2013-10-03 . 2016-05-17 . Joe . Mewis. There's big boasts, lashings of ego and plenty of third person references ahoy.
  33. Web site: Lebron James definitely has Dan Gilbert all wrong. Hruby . Patrick. 2012-08-18. ESPN Page 2. ESPN Internet Ventures. 2012-12-07.
  34. Web site: A Few More Oddities: Illeism, Semantic Satiation, and Garden-Path Sentences. Nordquist. Richard. About.com guide. 2012-09-24. 2012-12-07. Here, for instance, is how pro basketball player LeBron James justified his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat: I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James and what LeBron James was going to do to make him happy.. 2014-04-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20140414072645/http://grammar.about.com/b/2012/09/24/a-few-more-oddities-illeism-semantic-satiation-and-garden-path-sentences.htm. dead.
  35. Web site: Rickey Henderson – Society for American Baseball Research .
  36. Web site: A Field Guide to Sports Egos. 2010-03-02. Taibbi. Matt. Matt Taibbi. Men's Journal. 2012-12-06. They actually have a word for what Rickey Henderson is: illeist.. https://archive.today/20130128221737/http://archive.mensjournal.com/a-field-guide-to-sports-egos. 2013-01-28. dead.
  37. Web site: Line-O-Rama: The Rock Says. Fowler . Matt. 2009-07-02. IGN. 2012-12-06.
  38. Web site: Doug Robinson: Karl Malone is one of a kind. Deseret News. 2010-08-10. 2012-12-06. Maybe Malone didn't even know he was the one who was saying those things, because he tended to talk about himself as another being, in third person. Or maybe he was just schizophrenic, whatever..
  39. News: In search of Dieguito . The Guardian . 2004-10-01 . 2018-02-22 . London . Martin . Amis.
  40. e. g. here
  41. Web site: Sources: Cam Newton thrown for loop. 2011-02-27. Shefter . Adam. ESPN.com. His comment drew such a reaction because some say his swagger teeters on the edge of pure arrogance. In roughly 12 minutes at the podium, he referred to himself in the third person three times. When asked if some mistake his confidence for cockiness, he said: "I'm not sure, but I'm a confident person, and it was instilled in myself at an early age to believe in myself"..
  42. News: And God created Pele . The Guardian . 2003-06-30 . 2009-01-22 . London . Simon . Hattenstone.
  43. Web site: Pelé's mouth should get a straight red. Fink. Jesse. 2011-11-13. The Sunday Guardian. 2012-12-06. 2022-11-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20221108080907/http://www.sunday-guardian.com/sports/peles-mouth-should-get-a-straight-red. dead.
  44. News: Former Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies claims 'whispering campaign' has sabotaged Premier League ambitions . The Independent . 27 February 2016 . 17 October 2020.
  45. News: Melissa . Whitworth . Alice Cooper: 'Some people turn to God, I turned to golf' . The Daily Telegraph . August 28, 2007 . August 13, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070829162342/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fportal%2F2007%2F08%2F28%2Fnosplit%2Fftcooper128.xml . August 29, 2007 . dead .
  46. News: This Seemingly Narcissistic Habit May Actually Be Good For You. Wong . Brittany. HuffPost. 2024-07-28.
  47. News: Love Him, Or Leave Him?. Wiltz . Teresa. Washington Post. 2006-11-02. 2012-12-06. They all purport to be in love with Flav, a man who refers to himself in the third person and whose idea of fine dining is a dash to Red Lobster..
  48. Pearson, Howard (7 February 1958). "Murrow to visit Gina Tonight: Producer Opposes Film on TV". . Deseret News. Salt Lake City. "Miss Lollobrigida and her husband, Dr. Milko Skofic, arrived in this country only this week for a brief stay. The Italian actress will be only the second person on Murrow's show to speak of herself in the third person."
  49. Book: Canales, Luis. Imperial Gina: The Very Unauthorized Biography of Gina Lollobrigida. Another Lollobrigida trait that may have caused her to be less appreciated by some fellow-workers was her habit of referring to herself in the third person: "I am the expert on Lollobrigida," or "This is the last time Gina does a picture in two different languages.". Brookline Village. Boston. 92. 1990. 978-0-8283-1932-4.
  50. Hyams, Joe (29 July 1956). "A simple country girl". . The Boston Globe. "I found that in addition to having a ready sense of humor, Gina always speaks and thinks of herself in the third person because there are two Gina Lollobrigidas: the actress and the woman."
  51. Rau, Herb (11 September 1955). "Everybody Picks on Lollobrigida". . The Miami News. "Off-stage, Gina's very natural, very human, and departs from this pattern only to speak about herself in the third person."
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  57. Web site: IGN Staff. Mr. T Reveals Why He Pities Fools. October 10, 2006. 12 March 2013.
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  63. Book: 9780567671448. Rod Elledge. Use of the Third Person for Self-Reference by Jesus and Yahweh: A Study of Illeism in the Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Texts and Its Implications for Christology. Bloomsbury T&T Clark. 2007.
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  93. Web site: Quotes for Magua (Character) . IMDB . 2014-08-01 . When the Grey Hair is dead, Magua will eat his heart. Before he dies, Magua will put his children under the knife, so the Grey Hair will know his seed is wiped out forever. .
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  95. Web site: Cars 2 – An interview with director John Lasseter. Sound and Picture Online. 2011-06-20. He’s not just any formula car. He’s the star from Italy, Francesco Bernoulli. He is so full of himself—he’s an open-wheel car and in the car world, an open-wheel car is like those guys who barely button their shirts. He talks about himself in the third person. Voicing Francesco Bernoulli is John Turturro and he hit it out of the park. It’s one of the most entertaining characters we’ve ever created..
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  100. Web site: Haganai – Review . THEM Anime Reviews . Moody . Allen . 2013-11-05 . Like Tim, I didn't like most of the other characters, especially Rika, whose tics (speaking of herself in the third person, and imagining sexual situations in the damnedest places- for example, in mecha manga) kept making me shout "Make it STOP!!!!" .
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