Myself

[Gatehouse77]

When did ‘myself and DH’ (as an example) become acceptable?

I really struggle to understand why people keep getting I/me wrong and now they’ve added myself to it.

Why the, seeming, reluctance to use ‘I’?

Even worse, when people use it in emails. ‘Please contact myself…’ Grrr. I feel like I’ve pulled up my entire team on this. Nuts that I’m having to give a basic grammar lesson to educated people in their 30s and over.

This has been making me twitch for years.
I've no idea why people say it, I just guess it’s when people think it doesn’t sound formal enough to use the word ‘me’.

Why is it always estate agents though…

I loathe the misuse of myself and yourself. It’s become so widespread that it’s no longer a pet peeve, instead it’s a full-time hobby of silent judgment.

And Mumsnet posters.

I have to proofread read the Headteacher's newsletter. Myself appears regularly. It is always changed by me to me!

Had a minor car accident and everyone I spoke to about it (insurance company / garage / car hire) were all “myself / yourself ing all over the place!

And Traitors 🤣

Because their education always comprises of inadequate grammar lessons.

I am voting for yourself @Gatehouse77

Makes me wish they were at least actually being murdered then we'd have a little less of it.

I once received a work telephone call which began “I was told that myself should speak to yourself”.

I really wished that himself had been told nothing of the sort.

Oh I can’t bear this either, and I think a lot of the time it’s people trying to sound “smart”….. 🫣

I think that it's all part of the shift in our language towards passive / euphemistic speech, and thinking. Chicken and egg, perhaps.

Particularly annoying are vague corporate-speak phrases such as: funds (for 'money'); issues (for 'problems' or 'difficulties'); going forward (for 'in future'), reach out (for 'contact' or 'get in touch'), etc. I could go on - and frequently do!! LOL

I've just remembered an old CEO at work who talked about people 'collating together' at various points during training days! Oh how we laughed!

...and contestants on The Apprentice.

Perhaps because their Brains are Compact and Bijoux?!*
They're usually the types of people who are too 'busy' to read a book...
Just a thought.

*Estate agent usage of capitalisation

Add to that the passive aggressive: 'If you have any questions, please ask.' Translation: fuck off and re-read the e-mail, you thicko!! Don't waste my precious time with your tiresome questions!

I think it is used because people think it sounds formal or posh. A longer word than simple ‘me’. Grates.

Someone I work with posts messages on the work chat that always end with “any problems, please do come and find myself”. It makes me want to shout.

Myself / yourself / himself / herself are quite commonly used, where I come from. Nobody would have a problem with it. It’s part of the everyday language, both spoken & in writing.

There’s things, often on MN, that are commonly used in parts of the UK that sound wrong to me. For example “I was sat at the table” or “it has cherries in”. But are perfectly normal there.

Yes but this is a new thing @Gowlett, used incorrectly. Jarringly so in my opinion.

"Myself and Dh" were only talking about it earlier 😁
coincidentally

I couldn't remember the example I'd seen on mn earlier but it just sounded very awkward.

Also with your examples about sitting and cherries @Gowlett I can't work out what would be correct for you?

“I was sitting at the table”
”It has cherries in it”

I was sitting at the table is correct, not I was sat.

All those words are commonly used where I come from, too. There’s nothing wrong with them, when they’re used correctly. It’s their incorrect use which is being criticised.
Correct = “I can do it myself/You can do it yourself/I’ll see myself out.”
Incorrect = “I’ll look forward to seeing yourself and your husband/You’re welcome to speak to myself at any time.”