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#2 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 16:30 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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Hi Jesus
As I understand your question, you want to know if you can use the word excuse similarly to the way you'd use say when you quote someone.
That's a bit tricky. In your example, yes, you would need "yourself". You excuse yourself would mean that "you make an apology".
But if you wanted to use this with a direct quote, I think you would need to say: You excuse yourself by saying, "......."
In other words, using excuse this way isn't normal. I wouldn't do it.
I think it would be more typical to say:
"I?ll be ruined if I do that," he apologized.
Just my opinion... Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 17:23 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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| I agree with Yankee. You can't use excuse to directly indicate someone said something like that. You would actually have to fully describe the act of excusing and then tie it to what you are saying. As Yankee gave an example. |
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Rockytop New Member
Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1
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#4 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 17:29 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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Hi! Thanks a lot, Amy. I understand, but, if that?s not normal, isn?t that right?. Why should I use that "by saying"?. Isn?t it understood that someone who excuses himself/herself is going to 'say' something? Can?t I omit it?
Thanks a lot again!
Jes?s |
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Jesus1 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 192
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#5 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 18:24 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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Hi Jesus
Using "excuse" with the sense of "say" is just not a way that "excuse" is used. And that's why I say, if you really, really, really must use "excuse" that way (with a direct quote and despite what I say ;)), I think you would have to add "by saying" in order to make it half-way normal. In my opinion, if you omit "by saying", it won't be even half-way normal. It will just be weird. :shock:
Another difficulty is that the sentence "He excused himself" often means or is understood as "He left the room".
The next difficulty is that the word excuse is also the word you would use when you want to give a "half-baked" reason (usually a lie or a half-truth) for something you did or didn't do that made somebody else unhappy or angry. "He didn't apologize, he just made a lot of stupid excuses."
However, you can use apologize (British spelling: apologise) instead of "excuse". That would work the way you want to use it.
You could also use many other words, for example: "I?ll be ruined if I do that," he stressed/explained/complained/whined/pointed out/etc.
Using excuse is really is not a good idea.
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#6 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 18:29 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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Thanks a lot again, Amy!!
I have been asking myself the following question because of it all.
Can I use 'you apologize' at the beginning of the quote?
You apologize, 'I?ll be ruined if I do it'
Thanks again and again!
Jes?s |
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Jesus1 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 192
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#7 (permalink) Wed Jun 21, 2006 18:35 pm The verb EXCUSE |
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Hi Jesus
It's much more standard to have it after the quote (when you're writing a story or reporting the news, for example).
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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