Why have people started using reflexive pronouns so much?

[Flippetydip]

I seem to hear a lot recently of "what can I get for yourself?" or "could you send it to myself with a, b and c copied in".

You get something for yourself, I get something for you. I send something to myself, I send something to you.

Is this now considered acceptable English?

One "squat" that I am pleased about is that we Americans have ridden ourselves of the practice/practise distinction. Sadly, who/whom is likely the next to go.

On the other hand, we have retained "gotten." That makes for lively debate on MN, with a bit of linguistic xenophobia thrown in for good measure.

@presentcontinuous
“I get the impression people use them to sound less direct and more polite”
That’s it I think.

It’s because most people are so illiterate and poorly educated that they wouldn’t know a reflexive pronoun if it bit themselves on the arse.

Sorry, I can't help myself... It's highfalutin
Ahh okay,didn’t know how to spell it Basta
Not sure about the face you are right I’m happy to be corrected

have ridden ourselves
Have rid ourselves, surely. Ridden is the past participle of 'ride'. I normally wouldn't comment, but in the spirit of the thread 'n all....

Highfalutin is a great favourite of mine because when it’s correct it sounds like you’re getting it wrong. Sliver is the same.

It’s such a great phrase,worthy of calamity Jane and now I know how to spell it too

Have rid ourselves, surely.

Or "ridded".

Or "ridded".

Yup. But that sounds kind of clunky, I always think. It's the triple d that does it!

I’m reasonably well educated and well read and I have never heard the word highfalutin. I love mumsnet

I thought it was two words? High falutin.

I have never heard the word highfalutin. I love mumsnet.

Its origin is American; it's particularly popular in the South.

"He's a high-falutin', rootin' tootin'
Son of a gun from California
He's some cowboy
Talk about your cowboy
Ragtime Cowboy Joe ....."

Only time I ever hear high-falutin'

If you read old books from the 20s and 30s (like old detective stories) you'll often find somone (lord Peter or whatever) saying something scathing about some new expression or use of language that had crept in from the US. Like saying "I guess" instead of "I suppose" (no idea if that is the best example, I'm typing off the top of my head and my poor memory here).

In this thread we see a few examples of language from other former subject nations making its way into everyday English language and the same sort of outrage. Uptalk - Antipodean. Yourself/myself - Irish. Why this Irish usage has become seen as more proper is a mystery. Perhaps there's a segment of English people who only come across Irish people as "superior creatures on the telly" and adopt their language as more correct?

HappenstanceMarmite *Double cringe heard recently: “Is there anything else I can do for yourself there?” I agree with a PP’s comment re “at all”. Which is why the Boots Optician advert makes my ears bleed: “Have you ever had your eyes tested at all?*

Irish English, perfectly normal, both examples.

I feel an uncontrollable urge to point out that no-one in Ireland would write "should of", "could of" because Irish pronunciation doesn't butcher the word have (FIREBRAND TIME, oh yes baby).

I had something long typed up about summer months when I see other people have beaten me to it

Tweet from Donald Trump:

“Our United States team has arrived in North Korea to make arrangements for the Summit between Kim Jong Un and myself.”

Aha, we can call it Trumping be very very scathing

Agree about the old books. You come acroos all sorts in them; I was brought up on all those Phoenix and the Carpet, Five Children and It, etc etc etc. Very Edwardian.

Oh my God, I was making a hotel reservation and for the first time, somebody asked me if they could get an a thing for yourself? Until now, nobody has actually ever said this to me. Very strange and I wouldn't even have noticed how do I not read it on here.

I notice that the candidates do this all the time in The Apprentice! It drives me mad!

RaquelWelch Does Alan Sugar do it? (If he’s still on it, haven’t watched much tv for a few years!)

Has anyone else noticed the baffling overuse of the word "today"?

As in, "Be careful on the stairs today!" - tannoy announcement at a station.

Because any other day you are welcome to tumble down the stairs?

Was it wet? I love ‘be careful’ as a response to an accident - I tripped over a loose paving slab when I was running, went flying, and a cyclist whizzed by yelling ‘be careful!’ Too late now, mate! I said it to my toddler the other day. My sage advice had minimal impact.

“Be careful” is yet another Americanism - I think in the U.K. you’d just say “mind!”

Glovesick, thank you very much for the explanation on predicate nominatives (that’s the word my 6th grade English teacher used for them though I accept “nominal” of course works too) and adjectives following the verb “to be”.

One question - why is “it am I” not correct?

One question - why is “it am I” not correct?

Because the verb 'is' in that sentence is going with 'it', not 'I'.

One question - why is “it am I” not correct?

The verb - "to be", in this case - has to agree with the subject, "it".