himself English · revision 2528

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 893 (Old English him selfum)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hɪmˈself/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|himself]], [[inh|ang|him selfum]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) the dative of [[m|ang|hē self]],^(Klein 1966) formed from [[him]] and [[m|ang|selfum]], the dative of [[self]], here used as an inflected adjective.^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) The SOED notes that ''self'' was long reinterpreted as a noun, as in the form [[hisself]].^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As an emphatic dative and object, “that very man”: about 893.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Standing beside a nominative pronoun or noun for emphasis (''he himself'') it is recorded from about 897,^(OED 1989) and with the pronoun left out (''himself went'') from about 1000, a use now archaic.^(OED 1989) As a direct object, the reflexive use familiar today, it is from about 1175.^(OED 1989) After ''be'' or ''become'', meaning “in his normal state” (''he is himself again''), it is from 1526.^(OED 1989) In Old English the accusative was ''hine selfne'', which ''himself'' replaced.^(OED 1989) The quasi-noun, as in ''another himself'', is from 1622.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) The English Dialect Dictionary records Scots and northern phrases such as ''at himself'', “in his right mind”.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 893 – emphatic dative.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 897 – beside a nominative, for emphasis.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1175 – reflexive direct object.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1526 – ''be himself'', in his normal state.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1622 – quasi-noun, a second self.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # Used as the object of a verb or preposition when it refers to the same man or boy as the subject: ''he hurt himself''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Used for emphasis: ''the king himself''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # His normal or healthy state: ''he is not himself today''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[him]]

+ * [[self]]

+ * [[herself]]

+ * [[itself]]

+ * [[myself]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}