Is this the correct use of 'myself '?

[Cracklingfire1]

Is the the correct use of myself? I always thought myself was just used as a reflexive but Charles used it in his speech below and I'm assuming this has been proof read and agreed so must be right, if so why is it right in this example?

"I am reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family."

It seems strange Charles would get it "wrong" and I wonder if there is a special usage when referring to the monarch?

No. It’s grammatically wrong. Grates on me … but then Charles Windsor was never exactly academic.

Lookingforwardtospringtime · Today 22:56

Why doesn’t ‘My wife and I’ work?

If you take away ‘my wife’ from the sentence you can see/hear it is wrong:

Therefore thank you for the messages sent to I.

Because the messages are being sent to X, X is the object (so ‘me’).

People maybe find ‘me’ sounds brusque and curt. ‘I’ on the other hand is associated with polite language. ‘Me’ is essential and correct though when it is the object.

‘He gave it to my wife and I’
is bad grammar but sometimes mistaken for polite speech.

My instant response was "doesn't he have someone to check his script", but my mum glared at me, so we had to watch the rest in silence whilst I silently stewed on it!

My people!

I am so sick of people saying I or myself instead of me. Some of them seem to think they sound really well spoken....

Estate agent speech is quite right.

The absolute worst is when one of these idiots incorrectly try to correct you!

I would say my wife and I. X

allboysherebutme · Yesterday 23:54
I would say my wife and I. X

In what context would you say it?

Therefore thank you for the messages sent to my wife and I, would be bad grammar/incorrect.

But,

Therefore my wife and I thank you for the messages, would be correct.

Charles, you've let us all down by encouraging people to pepper their conversation with horrors such as rogue 'myself' and 'yourself'.

I applaud all of the grammar nerds here who feel compelled to protect our language.

He needs to sack his script editor or buy a pair of specs. I wish these sorts of thing were taught in schools though I suspect in reality our English teachers would get it wrong.

In my world it's health insurance speak.

Every call with them goes like this:
Agent: How can I help you? [yes, you!]
Me: I'm calling about a claim/preauthorisation.
Agent: Is it for yourself?
Me: [after cringing and debating whether to mirror their language] Yes it's for me.
Sometimes there ensues a silence because I have no doubt not answered according to their script which would be: Yes it's for myself.

I'm glad someone came along and explained about me and being the object/subject. It's true taking the other person out of the equation works, but isn't it important to know why?

Reflexive pronouns are pretty rare and are used when you're talking about something you do to yourself: eg I wash myself, I've cut myself, I served myself in the shop, I sent myself a Christmas card. Or Did you cut yourself? Can your son wash himself? Or talking about being alone: by myself, by yourself, by ourselves, etc. Or occasionally for emphasis: Did you make that cake yourself?

They are not, in short, Your Royal Highness and others, a substitute for 'me'!

I think it's a shame grammar isn't taught at school the way it used to be. Although I, now in my 50s, learned most of my English grammar from learning foreign languages, especially German and Latin.

Would yourself like to take the keys and drop them back to myself when yourself has finished looking?

That’s right, my luvver!

”Myself” sounds so utterly wrong in this context.
Surely Charles has proof- readers?

I didn't expect the KING to make that sort of error, though.

The Prince of Wales makes the "me/I" grammatical error on a constant basis. He often says "Catherine and I" when he should say "Catherine and me." For example, he will say something along the lines of "it means so much to Catherine and I."

Have they stopped teaching the difference between subjects and objects in schools?

Misuse of the reflexive is irritating, but as people have said it is everywhere. And because English is a descriptive language rather than a prescriptive one for the most part, perhaps that usage is becoming acceptable.

For example, how many of us say 'it's I" or "it's they"?

My wife and I. Not me. And never me and anybody.

I caught this one, too! I think the correct pronoun is "me". If you omit "my wife" then you can hear that "me" is correct. 🤓

I'm in my 40s and distinctly remember being told at primary school that 'me' is rude and it should always be 'xxx and I'

Mid English A level I realised that my primary school teacher was incorrect

I hate the incorrect use of I and myself-especially when used by my colleague at the end of emails which she finishes with...

'If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact myself'

She's a teacher!!!

but not the same one I had in primary school

And people who refer to themselves as 'Mr' or 'Mrs' etc.

If you are phoning a company you don't say, "This is Mr Smith" you say, "This is John Smith".

With the exception of teachers and surgeons.

I had a colleague who would do it, another colleague would whisper, "How council house" at me when he did.

‘X and me’ if it is in place of ‘us’.
’X and I’ if it is in place of ‘we’.

He should have said ‘my wife and me’.

I can’t believe that people are pedantic enough to comment on this thread and are still getting it wrong! Tragic.

I am probably on the wrong thread here, but if everyone understands what is being said why does it matter if my wife and I or my wife and me is used. My wife and myself sounds a bit jarring but it still perfectly clear what is being said. I find worrying about grammar rules very inhibiting when I am writing. I really find they don't stick my mind, despite people saying how obvious they are .

Probably just used to soften the speech.

I paused it so the whole family could enjoy my indignation.

That's not right! Please see upthread

I think he was just trying to be posh.