Narcasism

[EvianBaby]

Is referring to ones self in the third person a narcissistic trait?

Why do people do it?

[EvianBaby]

Perhaps one chose not to post the question in CB in the the hope I might avoid pointless comments.

Humbersloop, so is saying 'one' in essence the same as third person?

DT, I don't do German.

[humbersloop]

yes, but a third person long lost to English grammar, like genders for nouns.

[seadogg]

I believe it is used in French with no nuance of supremacy so how did it come about in English?

[starone]

I thought you meant like Hercule Poirot who always refers to himself as "Poirot". That always makes me squirm. (Spelling police here - how do you spell Narcissism - go home at once and write a hundred times for homework)

[jno]

I would have thought not - it's actually as if they're in some way dissociating themselves from their actions, whereas a narcissist is thinking only of himself.

I disagree about 'one' being the third person, except grammatically: when the queen says 'one' she means 'I' or 'me', it's just a formal and rather antiquated way of putting it.

[DTCwordfan]

Evian - it is available in English....."Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is"

Seadogg, you are right the use of "On est" is very common en France and definitely no hint of any superiority or indeed of airs of one's elevated importance.

[EvianBaby]

I used the term 'one' because I believed it to be grammatically correct.

If that's not how you spell narcissism then I will never trust auto correct again.

To me, referring to yourself in the third person is a way of drawing attention to yourself.

[boxtops]

I use "one" if I'm describing an example - one doesn't normally do it that way, meaning "a person". It's correct grammar under certain circumstances and not at all (IMO) drawing attention to oneself.

And yes, I don't know what your spellcheck thinks that word is, it's not in my dictionary!

[EDDIE51]

What did The Queen say to Phil the Greek when she fancied a sh@g ?
Would one care to give one one ?

[ludwig]

^ I thought the monarch always referred to themselves as two people, as in the royal 'we', so it would be 'give us one'.

[jno]

I think 'one' is the opposite, a way of deflecting attention from yourself by not saying 'I' all the time.

[FredPuli43]

No. Quite the reverse.It's to avoid saying 'I', among it's other uses.

[EvianBaby]

I've no idea why everyone is focussing on one rather than the actual question.

[EvianBaby]

For the record, google agrees with my spelling

http://en.wikipedia.o..._personality_disorder

[ummmm]

I know a narcissist person. Bloody nightmare.

[douglas9401]

I'm not sure either, flower.

[jno]

I answered the question at 20:52 last night.

[jno]

PS I think it was the speelling in your headline that was drawing attention, though I would never be so vulgar as to point it out.

Well, hardly ever.

[Booldawg]

didnt Saddam Hussein, in his court trial constantly refer to himself in the third person.

I think its beyond narcissism and into delusion.

[Booldawg]

but answering the question I suppose it is a narcissistic trait. It gives the impression you're talking about someone you have high regard for - which is, of course, yourself.