About a lifetime ago I started working with an attorney (who for the record I adore) and the first time I walked in to his office and began to speak he looked me right in the eyes and said "no pronouns please."
Although I couldn't see my face I'm pretty sure it was saying something along the lines of what? huh? are you a crazy man? am I on Punk'd? what do you mean by no pronouns?
And my head is spinning -- pronouns are words like he, she, it, them... right? I begin to question myself and sweat profusely How in the world am I going to complete a sentence without using pronouns? He couldn't possibly be serious? Could he?
So I begin again. "So I called John and he said..." The attorney repeats back to me "he who?" I'm thinking to myself JOHN! WHO ELSE COULD HE BE? I took a deep breath and I began AGAIN! "I called John and John relayed to me..." I got through the conversation but it took alot of brain matter and super concentration.
From that day on I have always tried to limit my use of pronouns in both speech and writing. You must try it. You will communicate so much more effectively you will be amazed. Its much harder to implement in speech but its fairly simple in writing. Of course, you can't and shouldn't try to eliminate all pronouns, that would be ridiculous. And you would probably sound like someone from the Third Rock From the Sun. But definitely give it a try.
