It's a language post

[rhu]

I've noticed recently that instead of saying "This is X", radio announcers (for a sample size of two) have switched to "It's X." Specifically, on Monday I heard Steve Inskeep say "It's Morning Edition from NPR", and yesterday afternoon I heard "It's Ray Brown."

So what's up with that? Is it shorter? Is it hipper? It sounds wrong to my ear; and I think here's why: When I'm introducing myself on the phone, I'll say "Hi, this is Andrew." But if I answer the phone and ask "Who is this?" I expect the answer "It's So-and-so." The latter works when the pronoun "It" has the antecedent "this" from the question.

But without the antecedent to redirect it, "it" is a third-person pronoun, and so it sounds wrong when used as a first-person pronoun. [And please note, I'm being careful to say it sounds wrong, not that it is wrong.]

In any case, he's Andrew Greene, and he thanks them for their attention.

Comments

[goldsquare]

I've never been fond of using "this" as a reference. "You are listening to" or "I am" but "this" is vague.

Sometimes, when in a cranky mood, I yell "THIS is the radio".

[desireearmfeldt]

But while Ray Brown is not an "it," Morning Edition is. :)

[dougo]

[dougo]

Well, that didn't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W3t415rKWQ