I am myself to me, not to others....

[french frank]

I don't believe that 'myself' is due to the 'I' 'Me' uncertainty; it is, rather, a common usage in Hiberno-English.

I think, though, it's a dialectal usage which is usual - if it's the kind of English you use ('Will you/he be wanting anything yourself/himself?') ; if one isn't using that dialect, that isn't the explanation.

In standard English it's either a reflexive ('I stopped myself from saying anything'), or to reinforce/emphasise ('I myself would have thought ...' in contrast to what someone else thought).

I have a notion there may also be an alternative bit of linguistic psychology at work... But Fowler has this down as a 'jocular' usage or 'commercialese', quoting, 'My partner and myself will be glad to see you/'

[LeMartinPecheur]

: 'I' am the only person who can meet with 'myself'.

Going all existentialist on us ff, or off on a Schubert/Heine Doppelganger trip?

[ardcarp]

I don't subscribe to the nominative/accusative (I or me) theory either, because I don't think users of 'myself' trouble themselves with such niceties. For instance, I've heard children told off for using 'me' on the grounds that 'I' is more polite (e.g between you and me' is coarser than 'between you and I'.)

As far as being pretentious is concerned,

I hit myself with a hammer (reflexive)
Myself, I prefer oysters (emphatic)


isn't, whereas


Please phone either Fred or myself

is.

Mind you, I do rather like the Irish 'O Bejaysus, it's himself!!'

[Frances_iom]

I don't believe that 'myself' is due to the 'I' 'Me' uncertainty; it is, rather, a common usage in Hiberno-English. It comes from the Irish. Mise, tusa, seise etc Myself, yourself, himself etc.
Therefore, if an 'error' it is not in the same class as the grammatical errors referred to by mangerton, decantor and Don Petter. Whilst I am not always right, I would not say that I am grammatically insecure.

you can see this in Anglo-Manx eg example quoted by A W Moore - "The servant said himself [ie master of the house] was not at home " - likewise himself and herself when one spouse referrs to other spouse - see www.manxnotebook.com/fulltext/am1924/pt_h.htm

[french frank]

For instance, I've heard children told off for using 'me' on the grounds that 'I' is more polite (e.g between you and me' is coarser than 'between you and I'.)

But that is precisely the confusion referred to: some people just get it wrong, others correct them, and others don't know which to use.

[Hornspieler]

This is all pretentious rubbish.

Well you're the expert!

HS

[jean]

OK this is going to turn into pedants' corner...

No turning required!

I'm only surprised nobody's objected to that meet with.

[jean]

I wholeheartedly agree!

Only today I received an email from Nectar, starting in the all-too-common way:

'Dear Mr Petter,

As an active Nectar collector we thought we would take a moment ...'


How can such elementary mistakes escape the notice of those writing or reviewing such missives? (In the past, I've had a similarly phrased letter from my bank. )

Did you have any difficulty in understanding what they meant?

If you didn't, it really doesn't matter.

It's more of an infelicity than a grammatical mistake, anyway. Tweak the word order so that the 'as' phrase comes directly after the 'you' which presumably occurs later in the sentence, and it's fine.

[Pabmusic]

Did you have any difficulty in understanding what they meant?

If you didn't, it really doesn't matter.

It's more of an infelicity than a grammatical mistake, anyway. Tweak the word order so that the 'as' phrase comes directly after the 'you' which presumably occurs later in the sentence, and it's fine.

Part of me agrees with you, Jean. Many (most?) dangling modifiers are easily understandable. But some aren't, and even where some are I don't think it's too much to expect writers to avoid potential ambiguities. After all, you yourself* suggest an easy correction (another would be "As you are an avid Nectar collector, we thought...").

* Note the nod to the thread itself.

[Don Petter]

Did you have any difficulty in understanding what they meant?

If you didn't, it really doesn't matter.

It's more of an infelicity than a grammatical mistake, anyway. Tweak the word order so that the 'as' phrase comes directly after the 'you' which presumably occurs later in the sentence*, and it's fine.

Why should I, the recipient, have to tweak their order? They should have done that, after their first read through.

Anything which makes one pause and think 'Hang on. Let me read that again. What were they meaning to say?' is just bad writing and shouldn't be coming from any organisation, let alone large ones such as these.


* It does, but fourteen words later!

[Pabmusic]

Why should I, the recipient, have to tweak their order? They should have done that, after their first read through.

Anything which makes one pause and think 'Hang on. Let me read that again. What were they meaning to say?' is just bad writing and shouldn't be coming from any organisation, let alone large ones such as these.


* It does, but fourteen words later!

[Dave2002]

What about the use of plurals to refer to organisations? E.g "I had a letter from my bank yesterday. They asked me to reduce my overdraft immediately."

This seems style very common nowadays, and of course conflates several errors. Banks do not normally write letters, though nowadays neither do people, such as bank managers. Should we instead write "I had a letter from my bank's computer today. It asked me to reduce my overdraft."?

[Serial_Apologist]

What about the use of plurals to refer to organisations? E.g "I had a letter from my bank yesterday. They asked me to reduce my overdraft immediately."

This seems style very common nowadays, and of course conflates several errors. Banks do not normally write letters, though nowadays neither do people, such as bank managers. Should we instead write "I had a letter from my bank's computer today. It asked me to reduce my overdraft."?

Another one I'm never quite sure about is: "My favourite band is, or are, playing in my local tonight"?

[Dave2002]

Another one I'm never quite sure about is: "My favourite band is, or are, playing in my local tonight"?

Grammatically it has to be "is".

Yet another problem I have is "we were sat ...". This perhaps comes from some local, possibly northern, usage, but should be "we were sitting ..." - but it seems common these days even on radio and TV.

[Serial_Apologist]

Grammatically it has to be "is".

Yet another problem I have is "we were sat ...". This perhaps comes from some local, possibly northern, usage, but should be "we were sitting ..." - but it seems common these days even on radio and TV.

Also common among Londoners... like me...

Not evidently in Blake's time: "I was seated at the organ..."