pron. 1. That one identical with me. a. Used reflexively as the direct or indirect object of a verb or as the object of a preposition: I bought myself a new car. b. Used for emphasis: I myself was certain of the facts. c. Used in an absolute construction: In office myself, I helped her get a job. 2. My normal or healthy condition or state: I'm feeling myself again. [Middle English mi-self, from Old English mē selfum, mē selfne : mē, me; see me-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + selfum, selfne, dative and accusative of self, self; see SELF.] Usage Note: The -self pronouns, such as myself, yourselves, and herself, are sometimes used as emphatic substitutes for personal pronouns, as in He was an enthusiastic fisherman like myself. The practice is particularly common in compound phrases: The boss asked John and myself to give a brief presentation. Although these usages have been common in the writing of reputable authors for several centuries, they may not sit well with many readers today. A majority of the Usage Panel dislikes them, though resistance has been eroding over the years. In our 1993 survey, 73 percent disapproved of the fisherman example quoted above. In 2009, only 55 percent disapproved of the same sentence. The Panel still finds the use of -self pronouns in compound constructions even less appealing, but here too the percentages have fallen over the years. In 1993, the John and myself example was rejected by 88 percent of the Panel. In 2009, 68 percent rejected the same sentence. |
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