Having myself a rant
I am not a grammar Nazi. I realise that language is flexible and changes over time. However, there is currently one particular piece of grammar-mangling popping up everywhere that is driving me to distraction - the endless addition of the words 'myself' and 'yourself' into any business-based conversation. i.e
'The deal organised between myself and yourself is terrific. I'll send a confirmation email to yourself.'
This drives me potty. Even worse, my normally well spoken father tried to correct something I'd written to him this morning by telling me that '-even you!' should be '-even yourself!'.
This way of talking also has the side effect of making everybody sound slightly Irish.
The usual thinking is that this all initially stems from people's fear of incorrectly using 'I' and 'me' in sentences. However, I think a lot of this has also spread from people picking it up off each other and thinking that that is the way they should actually talk in order to sound 'professional' - in much the same way that hostesses on aeroplanes can only refer to 'drinks' as 'beverages'.
I don't think any of my readers would mangle their words in such a way, but to confirm, lest somebody else should stumble across this post:
"Myself" and "yourself" are usually correct in only two situations:
- To emphasise or contrast: "Paul knows everyone, but I myself am new here." "Your sister has blue eyes, but you yourself have brown eyes."
- When you're doing something to yourself: "I ask myself..." "You set high standards for yourself."
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