Re: "reason is because"?

Bob Cunningham wrote:
"Skitt" said:
Bob Cunningham wrote:

One of the things my English teachers used to inveigh
against was "the reason is because ... ". We were told
that, like writing "all right" as one word, that was an
absolute no-no. We must say "the reason is that ... ".

So while watching the "debate" between Obama and Clinton
this evening, I found it interesting to hear Hilary start a
statement with "The reason is because ... ".

Is "the reason is because ... " accepted nowadays as
impeccable English?

Well, Hillary also said "between Obama and I", as I recall. I know I
cringed. Her speech is not as impeccable as might be desired.

"Between you and I" is not completely indefensible. I think
some people say it who are well aware of the nominative and
objective cases and who know that the object of a
preposition is traditionally required to be in the objective
case. They say it despite that knowledge because they think
it sounds better.

When a more up-to-date pronoun paradigm becomes prevalent,
it should recognize that "I" can be objective case in a
particular context. (It should also recognize that in
certain contexts the pronouns "they", "them", and "their"
can be either singular or plural.)

The Evanses, in their _Dictionary of Contemporary American
Usage_, say

between you and I is not standard English, but this
particular expression has such a long and honorable
history and has been used by so many great writers
that it cannot be classed as a mistaken attempt to
speak "elegant" English.

I believe that whatever reasons there are for "between you
and I" to be possibly acceptable should apply equally well
to "between Obama and I".

I didn't notice Hilary's saying it, but if I had, I wouldn't
have cringed, but would have noted it as support for what
I've read in usage guides about "between you and I".

Well, I have not given up on traditional grammar yet. Recently I heard Don Nelson (coach of the GG Warriors) use the possessive form of "you and I" by saying "you and I's". Is that acceptable to you, and if not, why, and when will it become acceptable to you? Just wondering.

By the way, from the AUE FAQ:

The prescriptive rule is to use "you and I" in the same contexts
as "I" (i.e., as a subject), and "you and me" in the same contexts
as "me" (i.e., as an object). In "between you and me", since "you
and me" is the object of the preposition "between", "me" is the only
correct form. But English-speakers have a tendency to regard
compounds joined with "and" as units, so that some speakers use "you
and me" exclusively, and others use "you and I" exclusively,
although such practices "have no place in modern edited prose"
(WDEU). "Between you and I" was used by Shakespeare in The
Merchant of Venice. Since this antedates the teaching of English
grammar, it is probably *not* "hypercorrection". (This is mentioned
merely to caution against the hypercorrection theory, not to defend
the phrase.) Shakespeare also used "between you and me".

Also, the good Senator's name is Hillary, not Hilary.
--
Skitt (AmE)

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: "reason is because"?
    ... We must say "the reason is that ... ... Well, Hillary also said "between Obama and I", as I recall. ... between you and I is not standard English, ... _Webster's Dictionary of English Usage_ ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: "reason is because"?
    ... We must say "the reason is that ... ... So while watching the "debate" between Obama and Clinton ... between you and I is not standard English, ... _Webster's Dictionary of English Usage_ ...
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