I used to work with someone who often referred to himself in 3rd person. Aquarius wonders why someone would have this annoying habit. Please advise Aquarius.
If you were having an out of body experience, standing beside yourself, next to the person 'you' were talking to, and facing your empty body, it sort of makes sense that the third person would work...
Other than that, I'm guessing it's an acquired habit, like my use of snuff...
This is fairly common in the entertainment industry because people (especially if they are celebrities of some kind) often develop "alternate personas" as their public or professional "face."
These personas may be developed by that person (it may have been how they got whatever-the-part-was in the first place), or they may be mostly created by other people (agents/casting agents/p.r. people/ the producers of their hit show)), with the person "acting the part" having only minimal input.
If you, as a part of the business in some way, are talking to these people (interviewing them for a story you have to write, for example) they frequently refer to themselves in the third person when they are talking about their public personas, because at that moment, they are not talking about themselves, but about the public face they are being paid to act out. In these cases, being able to talk in the third person is often a relief to them, because they are (at that moment) feeling free enough to reveal that they are NOT the character they portray in public.
In my personal life, I have also observed that some pretentious people, and some people with personality disorders such as narcissism, may also refer to themselves in the third person.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2017 04:04PM by Tevai.
I occasionally speak of myself in the 3rd person in my role as a teacher ("Ms. Summer has given you a direction. You need to follow it.") It's funny that you mention performers because in a way, teachers are performers as well. We have a teacher persona and then a regular person persona. My students occasionally see glimpses of the latter.
It's a bad habit that I picked up from a mentor colleague as a first year teacher. I have been trying to break myself of it, and am *mostly* successful in doing so.
Summer, we also are a teacher and not only refer to ourselves in the 2nd person but also will use the Royal "we." We have to be queen of some castle, after all.
Actually, I only very infrequently use the royal we and occasionally refer to myself as Ms. CateS. Have to do something to make myself memorable to the kids in some way and this is just one trick in my bag.
I don't find it repellent at all. Don't mind it when others do it, either. What difference does it make, provided I actually know the correct pronoun and tense to use? My kids are high school so they do "get" it.
Ha! I also say, "We don't do that here" regarding hitting, kicking, foul language, etc. lol Also, "This classroom is not a democracy." I probably look like a pompous fool half of the day, but that's the job.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2017 12:27PM by summer.
Maybe it's just one POSSIBLE indicator of narcissism but not definitive indictment.
I do use the third person from time to time in an attempt to be distinctive but I am NOT a narcissist. Truly, lots of people say that of all the people out there, CateS is probably the least likely person to be a narcissist of all time.
The only place I've seen it is in some Asian countries, in the older days , especially when speaking English to a foreigner, when referring to them selves