MOI PRONOUN

Humorously (especially when feigning pretentiousness or false modesty): me, myself. Etymology: French for me. History and Usage: This has become a sort of humorous shorthand for pretentious reference to oneself in the late seventies and eighties, based on the obvious pretension of slipping into a foreign language. It was largely popularized through its use on television, especially by The Muppets (a children's puppet show created by Jim Henson), in which it was liberally used by the main female character, Miss Piggy. The theme was also taken up by a number of adult cult shows both in the US and in the UK. So Harry says, 'You don't like me any more. Why not?' And he says, 'Because you've got so terribly pretentious.' And Harry says, 'Pretentious? Moi?' John Cleese and Connie Booth Fawlty Towers (1988), p. 190 I think it's going to be a great advantage for Ventura and for moi...A methanol sign on the freeway will lead them to my station. Los Angeles Times 30 June 1988 (Ventura County edition), section 9, p. 6