"please contact myself..." bit of a pedant's corner one...

[thereisfreedomwithin]

I am not guiltless of typos and spelling mistakes but just now we seem to have an outburst of "myselfitis" at work (solicitors)

Every new instruction is confirmed with a note to the client saying "if you have any question please contact myself".

To me, it needs correcting. It reduces our credibility AIBU? I always stop the trainees/paralegals from using it (simply pointing out that they will never read any judge using it in a judgment seems to cure them) but this is our adminstrator/client care team.

I have been told off before about my insistence on addressing clients as "Dear X" rather than "Hi X". That's my reason to hesitate.

I would also seriously think twice about hiring a solicitor (or any professional) whose standard client care letter showed such a poor grasp grammar.

Me too. It's like nails down a chalkboard isn't it?

Ignorant people think it makes them sound polite.

This drives me insane. People use it trying to send more formal, but it sounds the opposite to me, because it’s wrong.

ok, I'm ready to fight the good fight.

Seeing this:
"One of my small bugbears, although it’s not grammatically incorrect, is ‘utilise’ rather than ‘use’"
has reminded me of another thing.
What happened to "oblige" and "obliged" what the heck is this "obligate"/"obligated" thing?

There's no noun that can't be verbificated .....

I have seen letters that have gone out at top of office level starting a sentence with myself, as in "Myself and my fellow directors". I and my fellow directors, or My fellow directors and I, fine. My fellow colleagues and me, no.

Oh, 'obligated' drives me up the wall too but I fear it's passed into such common usage that it's past help!

@thereisfreedomwithin I use ‘please see the below’ in emails, when I am copying and pasting info from someone else’s email, as sometimes it’s not always appropriate to include the email as an attachment.

All yourselves are welcome to join myself's revolution - start preparing some pedantic propaganda posters.

And prepare blacklists of anybody using 'step foot in', 'pacifically' or 'I'm going for a wonder' while you're at it.

One of the joys of WFH is not having to hear our case managers, all of whom have degrees, using "myself" incorrectly.

"@thereisfreedomwithin I use ‘please see the below’ in emails, when I am copying and pasting info from someone else’s email, as sometimes it’s not always appropriate to include the email as an attachment."

With what you're doing, you are communicating cleary and concisely. It may be that this use of "below" has useful and simply reflects the layout of modern communications. I'm just not used to it yet.

I can't stand 'myself' and have noticed it a lot more too (although rarely from fee earners).

I can't get too wound up over 'please see the above/below) though. I've seen it a fair bit in introductory paragraphs where the writer touches on a certain topic in more detail a couple of paragraphs later/using bullet points or similar. I know it's technically incorrect, but I just see it as shorthand so it's a little more forgivable.

It’s so common in Ireland as to be basically acceptable usage. I barely notice anymore.

Would yourselves allow myself to join this revolution

This really made me giggle

I would also like to sign up, please!

I have to fight the youngsters at work who all suffer with myselfitis. To be fair to them, they think it is polite and 'formal'. They have been....educated

It's like they don't like being reduced to little old 'me'. Ridiculous.

See, now this is where it goes wrong. It starts off as a discussion about the term/phrase (which is fine) and end up with the same old twatty posts about 'being educated' and what 'ignorant people think makes them sound polite'.

I'm sorry for having posted the first time, I thought it was something else, I'm not sorry for this post and it's why I loath these threads.

Was that aimed at me? Jesus, it was a joke My colleagues are my friends.

I loathe - loathe - this expression. I once had a PA that used it for my letters (many years ago when I had a PA!!) and I told her to stop using it as it was wrong and pretentious

“Please contact ME”

I don't know if it is proper grammar @thereisfreedomwithin but I agree, whether it is or not, it sounds shyte!

Solicitors and insurance companies are the worst for it!

Agree that it's an attempt to sound less rude. People think saying "me" is rude, even when grammatically correct.

Please contact me. Not "myself".

People who misuse 'myself' in that way will be first up against the wall when my pedantic revolution comes.

I see yourself’s wall and raise yourself myself’s guillotine, sharpened and ready for action. Much obligated!

It's awful.

Reminds me of Arthur's announcements in cabin pressure

A potential client once asked, "I was wondering is it possible to visit yourself?" I'm still not sure.

The Pedants' Revolt
andanotherthing.co/2018/05/speaking-of-language/

Oh dear, I would use this but only if I am then going on to give the option of other people they could also contact.

For example "Please contact myself, Pete, Sarah or Regina if you have amy questions".

I wouldn't use it otherwise.

hmm, Maintain,

your "myself" seems less egregious.

If you say "Please contact me, Pete, Sarah or Regina" it flows badly because "please contact me" is a complete sentiment. So by using "myself" you indicate that you haven't finished.

If you don't mind the order of contacts you could say "please contact Pete, Sarah, Regina or me" that would work well and "myself" would be wrong there.

But what if you want to put yourself first on the list.....?.....?....?

You could say "Please contact me, or otherwise Pete, Sarah or Regina".