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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Myself and yourself instead of me and you

135 replies

WanderingNotLost · 07/12/2015 11:22

This is something that just pisses me off to no end.

People saying myself and yourself instead of me and you.

Example: We need someone do speak on Tuesday, Steve has suggested yourself.

We have previously sold photocopiers to yourself.

No no no no no!!

Why do people do this? Is it just ignorance? I've found sales people are particularly guilty of this heinous crime. It just grates on me, I always want to correct them. AIBU?

See also: the misplaced apostrophe.

OP posts:

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/12/2015 22:49

Wouldn't it be much, much more usual to say He came with Jimmy and me? As ever with pedantic threads, I say this in fear and trepidation that I will make a very, very glaring mistake...

I assume that CatsRule meant 'Me and Jimmy' used as subjects of the sentence, which is definitely wrong in Standard English.

Me and Jimmy came together. Wrong.

Jimmy and I came together. Right.

He invited Jimmy and me. Right.

ovenchips · 08/12/2015 22:58

I don't think you can equate people who would pass a 'posh test' (if I understand that phrase correctly) with people who would never take the grammatical liberties we're discussing on this thread.

Some who would pass this posh test would be grammatically gorgeous. Some would not. And of those who would fail this posh test, the same applies.

So it cannot be a class thing. Though I am not convinced we're all talking about the same thing. I am still roughly on the OP's original post about people who replace me and you with myself and yourself because they erroneously believe them to be a politer/ more formal option. Especially when dealing with customers.

CatsRule · 13/12/2015 11:49

Gasp yes that's how I meant it. I'm not posh or fabulous at grammar either but that one just irritates me...I know I'm unreasonable

DeoGratias · 13/12/2015 11:52

It is a useful indicator however. Most of those who are quite bright and went to good schools nad whose parents speak well and who will speak as you need them to speak to get on with similar clients will not get it wrong and will know all that Gas wrote above.

liptolinford · 13/12/2015 12:18

I find it really annoying too, OP.

I am, however, a hypocrite; even though I know the rule is to say "Burt and I went shopping", I have to say "me" because I would sound really formal and out of context around these parts.

Focusfocus · 13/12/2015 12:26

My ears hurt and I look away from them embarrassed for them, on their behalf.

BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted · 13/12/2015 12:44

I become unreasonably enraged when people swap "fewer" for "less". They are not bloody interchangeable depending on the weather!

There's an awful lot of people falling "to the floor" when they are patently outdoors. Even from reporters on the TV news. What's that all about?

Having mention the "outdoors" I can't stand those who call being in their homes "indoors". What's so wrong with being at home?

Part of it is that colloquialisms aren't discouraged in written work at school, and English grammar ceased to be taught a very long time ago. I would hazard a guess that the majority of teachers under the age of 50 (are there any left?) were never taught it at all. So it's now a case of the blind leading the blind, innit.

sefoolie · 13/12/2015 12:52

I hear it in ireland too but not from everybody. It is just a mistake. Different tribes, different mistakes. The "i done it" tribe dont say yourself instead of you. doesnt annoy me any more than any other mistake.

sefoolie · 13/12/2015 12:54

I agree that colloquial errors and regional errors aren't corrected anymore. I collect my children, just in case there is ever a complete about turn on grammar and it is considered important again.

JohnCusacksWife · 13/12/2015 13:17

Oh I agree, OP. Also on my personal list of language related abominations are -

simplistic instead of simple;
pacifically instead of specifically;
done instead of did;
youse instead of you

MultishirkingAgain · 13/12/2015 13:20

It's people trying to sound more educated than they actually are. Lower middle class stuff, but best just ignored.

Pangurban1 · 13/12/2015 13:29

More importantly why was 'ye' phased out as the plural of you. Ye was very happily used before the Norman conquest. Still used by some, but now 'you' standard for singular and plural.

You know exactly what the person means with myself and yourself. Someone who says that successfully communicates their meaning. The you singular and you plural is usually clearly shown in French. Disregarding formal singular vous.

Different languages have different constructions. Speakers of other languages might say 'why on earth would anyone say it like that?' if English construction used in translating something into their language.

sefoolie · 13/12/2015 13:43

Some of the Irish English deviations from British English are really shakespearian. The way some (not all) Irish people use ye as a plural of you. And the way they contract Am I not to Amn't I instead of the British English contraction of Am I not? to Aren't I?

sefoolie · 13/12/2015 13:44

I think the evolution of language is fascinating though. I wouldn't write it off as mere pretensions.

sefoolie · 13/12/2015 13:44

I think the evolution of language is fascinating though. I wouldn't write it off as mere pretensions.

AyeAmarok · 13/12/2015 14:28

Argh I HATE this.

It is very prevalent among sales/call centre staff. They think it sounds more polite, but it is just plain wrong.

AyeAmarok · 13/12/2015 14:29

It's people trying to sound more educated than they actually are. Lower middle class stuff, but best just ignored.

Miaow.

fidel1ne · 13/12/2015 14:57

It's people trying to sound more educated than they actually are. Lower middle class stuff, but best just ignored.

Someone got lost on the way to the Debretts forum.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 13/12/2015 15:21

Wouldn't it be much, much more usual to say He came with Jimmy and me?

Yes. My understanding is that the other person should always be listed before "me' or "I"

Jimmy and I went with him is correct because Jimmy and/ or I is the subject. Leaving Jimmy out of it one would say "I went with him" Not "me went with him "

He came with me and Jimmy is clumsy but He came with Jimmy and me is correct because He is the subject and if Jimmy drops out He came with me is correct.

There was a thread recently where someone was talking utter nonsense and kept saying

"Myself and other posters have... and even worse "Me and other posters have...

It was extremely irritating and factually as well as grammatically incorrect as almost no- one apart from the unreasonable OP agreed with her.

tbtc20 · 16/12/2015 10:27

Have just come off the phone to Direct Line and she was so "myself" "yourself"-tastic I wanted to scream.

augustusglupe · 16/12/2015 14:35

DH and Myself have both noticed this over the last few years.
And 'Thanking You' is another one.
At a health spa recently the therapist kept saying ' Getting a warm towel for yourself' ' leaving your head band there for yourself' 'Applying this/that cream for yourself' I just wanted to laugh.

BatteryHenPecked · 16/12/2015 14:38

Eurgh I hate it so so so much.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 16/12/2015 16:25

I had a teacher like that, augustus - 40 years ago, so not a young thing who knew no grammar!

'Sitting down, girls, sitting down. Getting out your books. Opening the textbook at page 12...' It was weirdly fascinating.

Flumplet · 16/12/2015 17:02

i agree. it's sets my jaw on edge every time.

So does the use of "shall" - even though it's quite correct and acceptable to most, it just grates on me!! "I shall be cleaning the fridge this Friday".

Oh SHALL YOU FUCKING NOW??!!

MultishirkingAgain · 16/12/2015 17:31

augustusglupe "DH and Myself" - you missed a trick there, you should have written "Hubby and myself" for maximum teeth itch.

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