Thursday, July 24, 2014

Analysis Exercise: "We" and "I" in Relationships

Can puppy feel guilty?  
 "My wife and I went to the party at Jamie's place. 
        We got there a  little late. The party was still rocking with music and dancing when my wife and I left for home."   

 Analyze the statement, paying particular attention to the pronouns.  Justify your findings. 

Then, speculate as to what may have happened.  You do not know from the statement, so I am asking you to guess, based upon the language and use a fictional story to fit the actual statement. 

I will post the conclusion of the matter.  

PS:  Have a bit of fun with creative writing.  



If you would like to help:

Thank you!


Randie said...

1. He didn't start by saying "we". This is good.

2. However, he didn't introduce his wife name. Not good relationship. However, he uses Jame's name.

3. "We got their late" this is ok because he has already let us know he and his wife went together.

4. "wife and I" he still wont use her name.

5. Here is the large red flag to me.... "wife and I LEFT for home" He doesn't say "went" home. Troubled relationship, maybe even troubled night out. Leaving the party is sensitive.

Anonymous said...

My wife and I went to a party at Jamie's place.

~incomplete introduction of wife
~problems in marriage?

We got there a little late.

~ the pronoun "we" is not unexpected BUT the husband switches back to "my wife and I" when talking about leaving the party therefore making the "we" sensitive because it is the only time "we" is used.
~why were they late to the party?
~is the husband trying to share blame or reasoning as to why they were late to the party?
~what happened prior to the husband and wife getting to the party?

~are the husband and wife in disagreement over leaving the party?
~is leaving the party sensitive to the husband?

Sus said...

-incomplete social introduction of his wife
-THE party rather than A party tells me they planned to go. It is introduced as if we know about the party.
-Jamie's PLACE seems impermanent as opposed to home. I will speculate Jamie is single.
-He changes to WE when speaking of getting there late. He also uses the passive voice in GOT. It's as if they just landed there late for no reason, no one's fault, yet he spreads the blame with WE.
-they were a LITTLE late. It was a party and he said it was still going on when they left. My guess is the husband made them late and is minimizing how late. He earlier spread the blame by including his wife with WE and by using the passive GOT.
-was STILL rocking... Still is used to justify here.
-WITH MUSIC AND DANCING is unnecessary. It is to convince the reader the party was still going on.
-back to MY WIFE AND I as they left. No cohesiveness here.
-LEFT may indicate his mind is back at the party.
-FOR HOME. Why is he telling us where they are going, while letting us know the party is still going on?

I'm probably all wrong here, but I think the husband made them late to the party. I'm guessing the party was at a single friend of the wife's. He's trying to convince someone that it wasn't that bad, the party was still in full swing when they left. Maybe he worked late?? Or said he did. I don't know.

Anonymous said...

My husband hardly ever says my name. Not when he's trying to get attention, not when introducing me, etc. I find it annoying.

Anonymous said...

“My wife and I went to the party at Jamie's place.”

The party, as opposed to Jamie's party, is distancing.

“We were a little late.”

Little is an unnecessary addition and also minimizes the lateness while “we” implies a sharing.

Perhaps they discussed whether or not to go.

“The party was still rocking with music and dancing when my wife and I left for home.”

Left for home as opposed to went home = additional words and missing information. What happened during the party that caused them to leave? The party wasn't over....

My best guess:

I see unity between the husband and wife and distancing language about the party, so I'd say they were invited to a party that they didn't really want to attend. After some discussion they decided to go, perhaps out of guilt or fulfilling a social obligation to Jamie. Once they were there they stayed long enough to be polite and then boogied out. Or maybe it was a fun party and they were just pooped out and wanted to go home to bed.

Anonymous said...


He and his unnamed wife were not in a good place (thus he doesn't call her by name) when he made them late for the party. That's why he shares the blame of being late. He is sensitive about causing the delay so mentions that the party was still rocking by the time they went home. He did not want to leave.

Skeptical said...

It sounds like the husband didn't want to attend the party (annoyance expressed with improper introduction) and drug his feet getting ready. This made them late and in order to share the blame for their lateness, he used "we". After he got there, he found himself having a good time and was then reluctant to leave.

Anonymous said...

Good Morning, Bud. What did you and the little lady do this weekend?

I don't think I want to tell Mr Office Gossip about how wasted I got out playing Golf on Saturday
"My wife and I went to the party at Jamie's place."
Well we went to the party after I cleaned up some and downed another couple of drinks
"We got there a little late"
Yes indeed, just a little late but you should have heard the holy hell she laid on me. Plus, she was all upset about those few drinks I had.
"The party was still rocking with music and dancing when my wife and I left for home." After we arrived she just wouldn't let up...she was all pissed we had missed dinner...If we were so damn late then how come it was still a happening when she had that fit to go home?


Anonymous said...

No introduction for Jamie.
No name for Wife, not great relationships on either.
left for home - stress?
for home - did not arrive? Do they live separately?
Why was it in doubt who he was leaving with? Why not say 'we' left for home? But no, he feels the need to say it was his wife he left with. BUT
HE did not report that he made it home. So I am guessing that he left from the party with his wife, so that she would think he was going home, that maybe they are separated and she did go home, maybe he said he had somewhere to go, like an errand and he went back to the party. At any rate, he did not go home. Or they did not make it home.
But he does not say they made it home so we can't say it for him.

jamie said...

These 2 turned up at my party...he's a boring termite,,,,his wife is hot!!!i think he knows about us...

Statement Analysis Blog said...

What should be noted by all is always within the pronouns.

They arrived in a form of unity/cooperation, but they left with distance and...

a missing story.



Statement Analysis Blog said...

The social introduction is not an issue here. He was talking to a friend who know's everyone.

In a police statement, for example, we expect, "My wife, Heather..."

I deliberately did not give context.

Even for those who touched upon the social introduction deserve kudos for going there! They did not have the context, which is fine.

I am seeing good answers.

Be careful with the "I Principle" as you consider this short statement.

You all may have a chuckle to learn the conclusion of the matter.

C5H11ONO said...


My wife and I went to the party at Jamie’s Place
--He doesn’t have a close relationship with his wife as it was an improper introduction. Whoever he was writing this to must have known also about “the” party as he didn’t describe it as “a” party. I am wondering if Jamie is a girl and if he knows her well. I suspect he has a crush on her.

We got there a little late
--We shows unity and cooperation. At this point he and his wife were anxious to get there. He didn’t state that they got there late, but rather a little late. I believe he wanted to get there on time as it would have allowed him to maximize his time there. I suspect his wife went through several outfits before finally getting to the one she actually took to the party, then he had to wait for her to do her hair, etc. He may have put his foot down and had her put her makeup on in the car.

--When someone goes to a place, but mentions the leaving of the initial place, it indicates that there is missing information, that is, the person's mind is at the place departed, rather than the place arrived at. He initially didn’t make a proper social introduction and here he refers to his wife without using her name. I would surmise that there was a fight in the middle of the party that caused them to leave. If I lead myself into creative thinking I would believe that he started downing the beers, got a little too friendly with Jamie (who he seems to be excited about) and his wife was not too happy about it. When she brought it up to his attention, he was sloshed and created a scene causing them to leave because he can’t take her “jealousy”.

What pray do tell happened when they got home?

Dee said...

I'm going to analyze this first and then look at everyone else's response...


There is an incomplete social introduction here. He didn't identify her as my wife Ann, but he did use 'my'and didn't call her "the wife" or say 'we' went. Since this is not a complete statement he may have identified his wife already elsewhere in the statement but if that's the case I'd expect to see her name here instead of "my wife". He may be angry at her.

"We got there a little late."

Aha - Perhaps he was angry at his wife for making them late, therefore the poor social introduction.


The leaving of a place should be noted. It appears he thought the party was fun. Maybe his wife didn't care for it so much.

With the limited statement we were given...I think they have a good relationship but there was most likely an argument or disagreement before leaving home. It made them late for the party. I also think it was his wife's idea to leave, a decision he didn't agree with but went along with.

Buckley said...

I'm bothered by Jamie being named and the wife not, so there was disagreement and distancing. I find "rocking with dancing and music" kind of awkward- dancing and music seem like extra words. It's specific whereas a lot of the statement is so vague. Was the wife bothered by the noise?

I want the adorable puppy pic to tie in somehow. Is that why they arrived late and left early? A puppy or new baby at home and the wife was nervous about leaving him or her and the husband not so much? He didn't want to go but agreed? Left "for home" because something needed their (her) attention.

Unknown said...

He starts out by saying my wife and I. In most cases that may not be a big deal. But, in the same sentence he mentions "Jamie's" place. He identifies Jamie but does not call his wife by name. This could be because of present tension or problems in their relationship. He then switches pronouns and says "We" got there a "little" late. It is likely that it is his fault that they are late because he is now sharing the blame for being late. He also tries to minimize it by saying "a little late". Apparently tension or problems continue at the party. The writer of this sentence clearly does not want to go home as he mentions that there is still music and dancing going on at the party. He then says "when my wife and I left for home." Once again he does not call his wife by name and he uses the sensitive word "left" which indicates there was tension when they left the party and after.

Kit said...

I think from the choice of pronouns that they went there with different goals/intentions and that he wanted to stay and she wanted to leave. From the way he described the party, I think he enjoyed it. Maybe she didn't.

getthem said...

He says "my wife and I" on the way to Jaime's and on the way home from Jaime's. They are a "we" at Jaimie's. The word we sounds like they were together in unison. Maybe they were arguing on the way to Jaime's party and on the way home from Jaimie's party. He never uses his wife's name so maybe there was some kind of tension and she was relegated just as "my wife" and not by first name.

getthem said...

Randie, I think that was a good catch on using the word "left" for home. What on earth could have happened at the party? Peter says to take note of when people say they left... so I'm curious now!!!

I like to post my answer and then go back to read the other answers.

Anonymous said...


And when we might be chuckling? When will we get to learn the conclusion? Will it be posted here?

Paul Flanagan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul Flanagan said...

"My wife and I" is fine. Shows ownership before party?
"party at Jamie's house" is distancing instead of "Jamie's party". Or were there other party's?
"We got there a little late." "We" change of pronouns, but it's ok because they are now at the party. It also shares responsibility more. "Little" minimizes late.
"still" indicates that party wasn't over. They left early.
"rocking WITH MUSIC AND DANCING" Well of course it was, but why say this? Something else was going on. Drugs, sex?
"My wife and I" is used again, but they are still at the house. Something happened. Something involving one of them.
"left for home" left indicates missing information, also why is it important to tell us they not only left, but left for home.

Thenn said...

I'm surprised there's a lack of creative writers here. Here, I'll play ball.

"When the couple finally got to the party, there was already tension between them. Late? For the party?! The excuse depended on who one asked: Mrs. X claimed Mr. X was late getting off work, Mr. X said it was Mrs. X smearing goop all over her face and choosing what dress to wear. The truth ... is out there.

They left early too. Some people at the party noticed that Mr.X kept giving wistful looks at the dancing party-goers while he put on his coat but Mrs. X wanted to go home. Mr.X later made his displeasure known in text messages to some of his bros who were at the party."

The moral of the story? Once you're married, all you can do is run to the end of your chain and bark.

Bill Clinton said...

Yeah, even though My wife and I are busy plotting the destruction of America, we still get out and have fun. My wife and I went to the party at Jamie's (Foxx) place. We got there a little late, which is the fashionable thing to do, we both agree. I could name drop so many names of people who were there. Did you know Jamie told me and Al Sharpton he's going to kill all the white people in his new movie? He's pretty psyched about it, too. He told me (you know I was the first Black president because I can feel a brother's pain) that it's a trial run for the real race war.

Jamie told me this in a back room where this kinda fat little number starts giving me a lap dance- the kind like momma used to give. Anyway, my business part uh- I mean wife- came back there and was all like "What if the media gets a hold of this? The victimized-wife thing only works so many times. Besides, we share Zanny for these kind of needs. I told her that depends on what the meaning of the word 'share' is.

The party was still rocking with dancing and music when my wife and I left for home, cameras clicking. They didn't know separate homes, but we will be sharing one come 2017. Bwwwa haha.

Anonymous said...

Aha! We have a clue - an amusing story. Hmmm...

So I have to discard my best guess of the couple simply leaving from boredom.

Okay, the "I" principal. Oh, and maybe something about the economy of words. The statement starts with "my wife and I" then shortens to "we" but then goes back to my "wife and I" along with missing information. Also, "my wife" is possessive while "we" is sharing.

So there was tension in that missing information. What happened during the party that created distance between the husband and his wife?

Maybe the husband or wife made a pass at Jamie. If Jamie's party was a birthday or anniversary maybe the husband blabbed about his wife's age or forgot their anniversary.

I give up - c'mon Peter, tell us!

Cathy O'Brien said...

I am not fat!!!

Kit said...

Thank you, Bill. I was curious about what really happened.

Anonymous said...

The puppy is adorable!

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Would you be terribly surprised to learn that they went to the party, all happy and well, but that he was flirting, quite seriously, with a woman there?


Paul Flanagan said...

The guy wanted to stay. When you say that the party was still rocking and no longer use "we" when talking about leaving, you want to stay. The wife didn't.

SugarIsMyPimp said...

That's what I wanted to post, that the "rocking with music and dancing" seemed sexual, and he seemed to be longing for whatever he was experiencing...

It sounded like they went to a party and he was the reason they were late, which is why he shared responsibility and downplayed how late they were "a little"...

However, he met someone who aroused him, and he went home wishing he could have stayed.. harmless or not, unsure. It just seems like he wanted to see where it was going, so I think their relationship is definitely troubled.

Tania Cadogan said...

Not in the least Peter

His Secret Obsession said...




And once you understand this one crucial craving that men have…





The kind of loving companionship and exciting romance that you deserve.



==>Next time your man shuts you out do this

You’ll be glad you did.