Most writers have something that annoys them. Lately, what is annoying me is the misuse of “myself”. It feels like someone used it wrong a few month’s ago and, suddenly that misuse is being repeated, and repeated, and repeated.
Maybe it’s because people want to sound more polite, more formal or maybe they are just repeating the use of myself instead of me because they’ve heard and read others do it.
Here are a few examples I’ve gathered in the past couple of weeks:
- John and myself are….
- Contact myself at……
- Myself, and most women have…
- Please respond to Susan and myself…..
It is not correct to say:
- “Please respond to Susan and myself” How do you know it’s not correct? Easy. Remove “Susan and”. You definitely wouldn’t say “contact myself” or would you? Yes, I’ve seen that used a couple of times lately
But, no, it is not correct to say “contact myself” even if someone has told you it’s more polite to say “myself” than “me.
In order to use myself , the subject of the verb must be “I”. For example,
- I will go to the store myself
- I will do it myself
- I’m getting myself some chocolate today (well, any day is good for getting myself chocolate! Or, for someone else getting me chocolate}
You cannot, you must not use myself if someone other than “I” is the subject of the verb. Please don’t write, or say:
- He emailed the director and myself (He is the subject)
- Jane likes to go shopping with Susan and myself (Jane is the subject)
If none of this is making sense, do some online research and find examples that work for you. Let’s stop this rampant incorrect use of “myself” soon. Please.
I have heard myself misused so often when speaking to those who should know better. Thanks for this one
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been stunned to find it on websites – professional websites! And in books – good books!
LikeLike
Ugh, UGH and DOUBLE ugh!!
L: Las Vegas & Leesburg
DB McNicol, author & traveler
Theme: Oh, the places we will go!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah yes! My pet peeve is when people misuse fewer and less than. Drives me crazy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one bugs me but I don’t hear and read it as often as the misuse of I vs me. “Me and Susan will go to the store,” for example. Ouch – so much wrong!
Emily | My Life In Ecuador | Monkey on my head
LikeLiked by 1 person
My eyeballs burn when I see there/their misused. The other one is “Me and John went bike riding” – Ugh!
Heidi at, Decibel Memos (Perspectives absent of sound)
LikeLike
Aargh!
LikeLike