To want to scream at the misuse of reflexives?

[Whatisthisfuckery]

ARGH!

Where did it come from? Why do people do it? I’m pretty sure it’s a recent thing where people are writing such abominations as ‘please contact myself on...’ or ‘I’d just like to invite x and yourself to...’ No, if you call me ‘yourself’ I’m not coming.

Do people think it makes them’ sound formal or something?

My DS’s form tutor has done it every time she’s emailed me, then today on a video catch up she did it in speech. I’m not sure my face didn’t give me away. I’m sure I visibly cringed, I might have even put my head in my hands. There is no polite or acceptable way to tell your child’s teacher that her incorrect use of language makes you want to repeatedly bang your head against the wall in frustration.

It’s entirely ridiculous and irrational, but AIBU to want to curl up in a ball on the ground and rock backwards and forwards when somebody uses a reflexive where they shouldn’t?

To ask someone "can I get" can mean "can I receive"

Exactly.

I wish the people who object to to 'can I get' would look up 'get' in the dictionary.

@VettiyaIruken

It is irritating, yes.

As is misuse of I.

"X and I" is not always correct.

Not knowing when to use less and when to use fewer, although this is me being picky. 😁 It's not that big a deal, it just drives me nuts.

I've quoted this before but many years ago I almost drove off the road when I heard the then head of Ofsted being interviewed on Radio 4 about the deficiencies in education, especially Englsh. He said 'Me and blah blah were told.....'!

@okstretch

To ask someone "can I get" can mean "can I receive"

Exactly.

I wish the people who object to to 'can I get' would look up 'get' in the dictionary.

I wish those who criticise the critics of 'can I get' would look up 'can' in the dictionary. It should be 'may', I always recall a teacher when I was in primary school saying 'You can eat a lump of coal but I wouldn't if I were you!' 'Can I get' should really be 'May I have' . 'Can' means something along the lines of 'am I able to do it'.

@Ihopeyourcakeisshit

The coffee shop smart arse was rude and shouldn't be in that line of work.

Clearly far too intelligent for that line of customer.

‘Can I get’ has always irrationally annoyed me (knob ex used to say it so may be compounded by that!) - it seems somehow ruder than ‘may/can I have’.

clearly far too intelligent for that line of customer
I'm going to presume you're not actually serious.

'Can' is less formal than 'may' but perfectly acceptable in informal speech.

I wish the people who object to 'can I get' would look up 'get' in the dictionary.

They might be there a while. "Get" probably has almost as many meanings as "fuck".

@Hoppinggreen

One positive about Covid I haven’t been on a plane and had to listen to frequent uses of Yourself etc by the flight attendants over the tannoy. Major offenders

Also, "We do have a wide variety of sandwiches... we do sell a range of perfumes and cosmetics... we do have tea, coffee and hot chocolate..."

Why do they speak like this, as if they're contradicting someone? Very odd.

YANBU
For some reason people think that pronouns are a formality /fancy thing, rather tha grammatical.

It seems to go:
Me = informal, a bit common, if i use me then people might think I'm not educated
I = mid formal, the sort of thing naice people say
Myself = most fancy, formal and I would like you all to think I'm terribly smart

I was in a coffee shop a while ago and the person in front of me asked “can I get a coffee” and the barista replied “no I’m sorry we aren’t self service, would you like me to get one for you?”

The barista was quite possibly a self-satisfied twat, but that did make me laugh.

I wish those who criticise the critics of 'can I get' would look up 'can' in the dictionary. It should be 'may

Nope, not according to my Oxford Dictionary, I'm afraid.

can - modal v. 1) to be able to 2) be permitted to

I find it quite annoying when people are incorrectly pernickety about can/may. It's the kind of thing that prim teachers with pursed lips do. And I say that as a teacher.

^^Pahahahhaa my husband and I play a game with this - if you hear a “myself” “yourself” etc you have to make a “wahay” noise (similar to the one made when a glass is smashed in a pub 😂)

Haha I'm stealing this. I am a teacher and have had to correct way too many colleagues on this (including my own DH). Drives me bananas. I try to stay mildly amused at the irony in that people think it makes them sound intellectual. Rather than mildly amused it makes me ragey ha.

I find it quite annoying when people are incorrectly pernickety about can/may. It's the kind of thing that prim teachers with pursed lips do. And I say that as a teacher.

Agreed. It's a distinction that is fast biting the dust in English. Who/whom is headed that way, too.

@lazylinguist

I wish those who criticise the critics of 'can I get' would look up 'can' in the dictionary. It should be 'may

Nope, not according to my Oxford Dictionary, I'm afraid.

can - modal v. 1) to be able to 2) be permitted to

I find it quite annoying when people are incorrectly pernickety about can/may. It's the kind of thing that prim teachers with pursed lips do. And I say that as a teacher.

Ain't that the truth!

I just teach the kids that it's can-could-may-might (in order of formality) and unless you're asking QE2 if you can use her lavvy, then "can" is fine.

I always imagine someone saying "Might I have a word?" etc to be Miss Marple circa 1951.

“How are you feeling in yourself?”’

God, I’m with you 100% OP - makes me want to stick a fork in my eye

I HATE IT!!!!! I know it's unreasonable, but it really makes me think that the people who speak like that are idiots

It seems a recent thing but is becoming more common. Drives me batshit.

It's very Hyacinth Bucket.

And there is a degree of crossover between this and people who write "been" instead of "being".

You are not alone, OP!

It’s nearly as cringe-making as ‘Between you and I...’

A form tutor really ought to know better though!

I've quoted this before but many years ago I almost drove off the road when I heard the then head of Ofsted being interviewed on Radio 4 about the deficiencies in education, especially Englsh. He said 'Me and blah blah were told

Better than saying "myself and blah blah".

It's common in Ireland because in Irish it's a way of putting emphasis on the person so it got into the English we speak. Could be the same in Wales and Scotland.

And why do Cabin crew love the word DO so much?
“We do ask that if you do need any assistance you do press the button above your head”