myself English · revision 2508

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Old English (mē self)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /maɪˈself/, /mɪˈself/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|mi-self]], an alteration of [[m|enm|meself]], [[inh|ang|mē self]], in which the pronoun was a kind of ethical dative,^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) with the dative [[m|ang|mē selfum]] and the accusative [[m|ang|mē selfne]].^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) It is thus [[me]] and [[self]], though it has long been understood as [[my]] and ''self''.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English ''mē self'', emphatic or reflexive.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Meself'' is recorded from about 1200.^(Etymonline) It was altered to ''mi self'' in the 13th century according to Hoad, partly through loss of stress and partly on the model of ''herself'', where ''her'' was taken as a possessive;^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) Etymonline dates ''mi-self'' to about 1500.^(Etymonline) The parallel ''hisself'' is still considered incorrect.^(Etymonline) ''By myself'', “alone”, is recorded about 1540.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Old English – ''mē self''.^(SOED 2002)

+ * c. 1200 – ''meself''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 13th century – ''mi self''.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * c. 1540 – ''by myself'', alone.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

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

+ # Used for emphasis: ''I did it myself''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # My normal or healthy state: ''I'm not myself today''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[me]]

+ * [[my]]

+ * [[self]]

+ * [[yourself]]

+ * [[herself]]

+ * [[himself]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that reflexive pronouns such as ''myself'' are often used for emphasis, especially in compound phrases such as ''my wife and myself''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}