-Self

 

 

You may find some surprises in this blog entry.

 

Theyselves, a word used in dialects, is nonstandard English.

Hisself and theirselves are nonstandard words, sometimes called nonwords.

Myself can be used reflexively as in “I cut myself,” or to place emphasis as in, “I myself saw him.”

Some dictionaries approve the use of myself as a subject, although grammar textbooks say no, no, no. “My children and myself went to the circus.”

Me should never be used as a subject. Always place yourself last.

In informal speech, some folks fail to use a form of self when a self-pronoun would turn sentences into standard English. For example, someone might say, “Buy you an expensive cut of meat,” instead of, “Buy yourself an expensive cut of meat.”

Another person might open his refrigerator door and say, “I’m getting me some lunch.” A standard expression would be, “I’m getting myself some lunch.”

“I’m going to write me a letter,” should be, “I’m going to write myself a letter.” (We can’t avoid using going, no matter what.)