The use of "Myself"

[BupcakesandCunting]

Just catching up with The Apprentice. Are they paid each time they say "myself" where "me" would do? It's driving me berserk! "That was myself Lord Sugar" "That was myself and Dave" "That was down to myself"

YANBU.

DH complained that his viewing experience was ruined by me shouting at the screen on Wednesday. I think I shouted at two misuses of "myself" and one instance of Suralan saying "You was..."

The DC have become used to Aleesha Dixon causing impromptu outbursts.

And there was an advert for a car a while back which promised "Less emissions" (it even hurts to type that) that would leave the kids squirming with embarrassment due to my overreaction.

Ah but emissions can't be counted so I think 'less emissions' is correct. You wouldn't say 'five emissions'. Just sounds funny because it's a plural.

Kerala, as an utter bloody peasant, but fortunately one who does know when to use me/I, fewer/less and yourself/you, could you tell me why should one not use pardon and what should be used instead? I was always told "Don't say what, say pardon." And isn't that more of a convention thing rather than Actual Proper Grammar?

Why is it not less emissions, they're not countable are they?

Good point, bronze. I guess they are countable in parts per million or whatever, but not to us mortals.

I think posh people say what rather than pardon but I dont know if that's convention or grammar. Nothing sounds worse to me than someone bellowing 'whaaaaaaaaat' when they haven't heard something though.

It grates on me when I see people's photos takes on FB saying "this is I and John on holiday" why why why can't you use "me"? You wouldn't say "this is I on holiday"

Unless maybe you're from the Brizzol Ariel, but that's another thread altogether.

Tigress- I am from Brizzol, but thankfully use 'I' correctly. I also don't say 'ideal' when I mean idea . Drives me mad whenever I visit home!

I think 'what' and 'pardon' are a convention rather than grammar, yes. A class/snobbery-based one really. It's supposed to be 'bourgeois' to say 'pardon', along with things like 'serviette' and 'settee'. I think the theory is that people aspiring to climb higher than their social station try to make themselves sound posher by using foreign-derived words, whereas if you're genuinely posh and therefore secure in your station you don't need to care and can use Anglo-Saxon words like 'what', 'napkin' and 'sofa'.

Did the Anglo Saxons have napkins and sofas? Who knew?

And actually 'sofa' is from Turkish or something. But you know what I mean.

I hate it as well - it is used by the terminally thick. Recruitment consultants are the worst offenders.

If I - comp educated and a scumbag to boot - can use the correct words these overly-gelled and Next-besuited twats can as well.

I am neither genuinely posh nor aspiring, but bumping along. I think I will continue to say "Pardon". My mum will tell me off if I say "What".

Another defender of the Irish usage of it - if I'm chairing a meeting and taking comments from the floor, I'll indicate someone and say "yourself", because "you" sounds rude to Irish ears.

Totally agree with the abhorrance for the faux-gentility use of it, and I cannot stand "to you and I". Has ruined quite a lot of songs for me.

Salty? Saltyair?

Totally agree with the abhorrance for the faux-gentility use of it, and I cannot stand "to you and I". Has ruined quite a lot of songs for me.

What like Home and Away? "You know we belong together, you and I forever and ever...."

That's OK, Ariel, because if you take out the 'you', 'I belong together ...' is still correct (although it doesn't make much sense).

As opposed to 'me belong together', which is clearly wrong.

Isn't just take out the 'you' bit and use the right me or I.

For example "she said to my sister and me"

If you silence part of the sentence you should always get it right.

You wouldn't say "she said to I" so you would say she said to x and I would you.

grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/between-you-and-me.aspx

"You and I forever and ever?" Is it? I thought you would say "You and me forever and ever". Or is it "Yourself and myself forever and ever"?

I geddit! "You and I" are both the subjects of the sentence. There is no object.

Therefore Home and Away was right and I was wrong. Good God, the shame!

My omitting the you bit works for your example too.

You and I went to the shop

Not You and me went to the shop because you wouldn't say me went to the shop.

i've had a fairly lengthy argument with someone about the use of word alternate (al-TER-nate) as a synonym for alternative on a diversion sign...
what's the thoughts on that one? :)

Misuse of myself/me/I is one of my pet peeves.

Ariel - Pardon (or excuse me) is what you say if you have burped, or even farted, in public. What is what you should say if you haven't heard something someone has said.

So where do people stand on the pronunciation of weary? 'Weary' as in 'cheery' or as in 'wary'?