Grammar Moses: Speak with confidence (if you know what you're talking about)

Think for a moment of how you would respond if your child were to ask for your opinion on something (as if that would ever happen).

Now think of how you would respond if your significant other were asking.

And, finally, think of how you'd respond if the big boss were to ask you for your opinion in a room full of people.

You'd probably answer with varying levels of confidence and firmness under these circumstances.

Cherylann DeCraene emailed me recently with this thought:

"If word choice is any indication, we have become less of a thinking society and more of a 'feel like' society. I first noticed the change a number of years ago among my school-age children and their friends, but now I notice it everywhere. People seem to no longer think as much as they used to, but they definitely 'feel like.' Why the shift in language? Does feeling make a statement seem more empathetic or persuasive than thinking?"

It makes one sound less combative, I'd say.

I feel/think/believe that we've become so concerned about sounding egomaniacal or confrontational or decisive or righteous that we express ourselves as "feeling" a certain way. We don't want to offend. We don't want to assault people with what we actually think. Because that might conflict with how someone else "feels."

Or maybe it's that we simply lack confidence.

This might sound like a lecture on the evils of political correctness, but I assure you it's not.

We can all "feel" different ways and be comfortable with it, but when two people "think" differently, somebody must be wrong.

Especially today.

I think "I think" almost feels like a challenge: a statement of fact rather than opinion.

At least that's my read on things. I'm sure there are those who would disagree with me (and I'm comfortable with that.)

I've written about the slow death of the word "me" and how it's being replaced - in error - by "myself" and "I" in everyday speech.

"It's not about ME" as people are wont to say, and that is evidenced by how infrequently people employ "me" in conversation.

I know this analysis probably comes across as curmudgeonly, but I think (see, I'm BOLD!) people who have a well-reasoned opinion they want to project should say, "I think this is so."

Speak with confidence! That's actually an endearing quality to many people.

Died from a broken heart

For some reason, I've received several emails of late from people concerned about the lexicon of obituaries.

Writes Ron Wells: "I have a question regarding terminology used in obituaries and notices of death. The terminology in question is, 'He or she died of cancer' or any other reason. I would say, 'He or she died from cancer.' I assume the word 'of' is correct, but can you explain why?"

From my research, "died of" is much more popular than "died from."

I've seen grammar types make the distinction that "died of" conveys a direct cause - cancer, heart attack, etc. - whereas "died from" conveys an indirect cause - neglect, depression. I've also seen "died from" associated with injuries, as in "He died from blunt force trauma to his pinkie toe."

Write carefully!

• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbau-mann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.