The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #11381   Message #84623
Posted By: Bert
07-Jun-99 - 12:45 PM
Thread Name: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
Jeri,
It seems you have some misconception of what the expression 'first of all' really means. You are assuming that 'first of all' is an ordinal statement which it isn't. It is a 'cardinal' statement, it makes the prime position special and exclusive.
If you wan't to talk ordinally there are adequate words for doing so, 'firstly', 'secondly' and so on.

Bert.