yourself English · revision 2506

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=early 14th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /jɔːˈself/, /jʊəˈself/, US /jʊrˈself/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound, [[af|en|your|self]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) though the Shorter Oxford notes that ''your'' was originally the pronoun and ''self'' an adjective, later understood as a possessive and a noun.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Emphatic or reflexive form of ''you'': by the early 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The plural ''yourselves'' is recorded by the 1520s.^(Etymonline) The spelling as two words, ''your self'', is now rare.^(SOED 2002) ''Yourself'' in the sense “your individuality, your own person” is found from about 1405.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 14th century – ''yourself''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1405 – one's own person.^(HTOED)

+ * 1520s – ''yourselves''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # Used reflexively as the object of a verb or preposition: ''help yourself''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Used for emphasis: ''you said so yourself''.^(AHD)

+ # Your normal or healthy state.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[do-it-yourself]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[your]]

+ * [[self]]

+ * [[myself]]

+ * [[yourselves]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}