# I v. Myself Grammar Question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566 "2019-05-06T14:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/1 "2019-05-06T14:45:19Z")
Prince Harry is a father to a healthy boy. His statement to the press was ; \*\* “I’m very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy this morning, a very healthy baby boy.”\*\* I can see the grammar point. “I” before the verb. “Me” after the verb. “Myself” after the verb when there is an “I” before it. Still, it sounds odd to me. I presume the Queen keeps the family on their toes regarding the Queen’s English. What are your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/2 "2019-05-06T15:01:51Z")
It certainly does not conform to modern usage. I would have said ‘Meghan and I’, but I expect he was a little excited…🙂 At least he didn’t say "Meghan and me…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/3 "2019-05-06T15:14:31Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I can see the grammar point. “I” before the verb. “Me” after the verb. “Myself” after the verb when there is an “I” before it. That’s not the rule. The rule is to use “I” as the subject of a verb, and “me” as an object. “Myself” is reflexive, and is used when the person speaking is both the subject and the object of the verb, or for emphasis. “I had to restrain myself,” or “I myself did it.” In the sentence in question, Meghan and Harry are the subject of the verb “had,” so it should be “I.” “Myself” there is just grammatically wrong. Although it comes after the verb “announce,” it is not the object of the verb (and if it were, it should be “Meghan and me.”). It is part of a separate prepositional clause with its own subject(s) and object (“a baby”). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/4 "2019-05-06T15:16:19Z")
I literally (yes, I do know how to properly use that word)just read about the birth and Harry’s use of “myself” struck me immediately. Far be it for me to tell a Prince how to speak but this is a real pet peeve of mine. Heck, maybe it’s even technically correct but it really rankles. Irregradless (heh!), many blessings to the new parents and baby. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/5 "2019-05-06T15:43:23Z")
I agree that ‘I’ is better than ‘myself’. However I think that Harry is being shrewd. This has been a huge news story on both sides of the pond. Now the discussion can centre on grammar, rather than pestering Meghan! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/6 "2019-05-06T15:44:07Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Heck, maybe it’s even technically correct but it really rankles. . It’s not correct in any way. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/7 "2019-05-06T15:50:26Z")
Maybe he started out to say “Meghan and My Royal Highness” but just caught himself in time. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/8 "2019-05-06T15:59:42Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > “Myself” after the verb when there is an “I” before it. > [@Colibri](#): > > That’s not the rule. The rule is to use “I” as the subject of a verb, and “me” as an object. “Myself” is reflexive, and is used when the person speaking is both the subject and the object of the verb, or for emphasis. “I had to restrain myself,” or “I myself did it.” Right. **Paul** may be thinking of [this:](https://brians.wsu.edu/2016/05/19/i-me-myself/) > [@](#): > > It’s usually appropriate to use “myself” when you have used “I” earlier in the same sentence: “I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself.” “I kept half the loot for myself.” I think this is an example of where someone isn’t sure whether to use “I” or “me,” or thinks that neither one sounds quite right, so they use “myself” instead. “Meghan and [del]me[/del]… uh, Meghan and [del]I[/del]… uh, Meghan and myself had a baby…” [Grammar-grouching on ‘myself’ misuse](https://www.chicagotribune.com/living/ct-xpm-2012-09-05-ct-tribu-words-work-myself-20120905-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/9 "2019-05-06T16:18:04Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I think this is an example of where someone isn’t sure whether to use “I” or “me,” or thinks that neither one sounds quite right, so they use “myself” instead. “Meghan and [del]me[/del]… uh, Meghan and [del]I[/del]… uh, Meghan and myself had a baby…” This is how I interpret it, as well, as a way of getting out of deciding whether the subjective “I” or objective “me” is correct (and I usually hear/see the “myself” usage when somebody is trying to avoid “me” rather than “I.” I find a lot of people hypercorrect “me” to “I” in phrases, and those that don’t use “myself.” Even listening to NPR, it’s out there all the time.) I feel like I’ve been hearing this mostly in the past 20 years or so, especially in business-type speak. (Like, “Jan will be traveling with myself to a conference in Vegas next week, so please report to Bob.”) That said, I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised it there’s a long history of its usage that way (though I’d be curious to see it, if that is the case.) I sometimes try to justify it by thinking of it as an emphatic “me” (which I know is historically “I myself” rather than the bare reflexive) or parsing it as “my self” instead of “myself.” But I personally do not use that usage, and have always been taught that it was incorrect. I would be curious to learn whether it’s a relatively new usage and a sign of a shift in English usage or whether it has been pretty common in English historically. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/10 "2019-05-06T16:27:06Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I can see the grammar point. “I” before the verb. “Me” after the verb. “Myself” after the verb when there is an “I” before it. It’s not ‘I before the verb and me after the verb.’ It’s ‘“I” if the subject of the sentence or phrase, “me” if the object.’ English is often constructed so that the subject comes before the verb and the object afterwards, but not always. In your example, I’d think “I” is correct; but I also wouldn’t bug the excited father about it. – Whoops. Refresh the thread before posting, thorny! Colibri already said that. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/11 "2019-05-06T17:42:46Z")
I am not as troubled by the grammar as by the prince’s over-emphasis on his participation in the actual having of the baby. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/12 "2019-05-06T17:48:20Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I am not as troubled by the grammar as by the prince’s over-emphasis on his participation in the actual having of the baby. You just can’t win. If he’d said “Meghan had a baby boy this morning,” people would say it sounded like it wasn’t his kid. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/13 "2019-05-06T17:52:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I am not as troubled by the grammar as by the prince’s over-emphasis on his participation in the actual having of the baby. Mentioning that it was in fact also his baby is “over-emphasis”?:dubious: The message itself seems perfectly straightforward to me. How exactly would you have worded it? ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/14 "2019-05-06T17:57:42Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I am not as troubled by the grammar as by the prince’s over-emphasis on his participation in the actual having of the baby. Nah, that would be a legitimate reaction if he’d said “Meghan and myself gave birth to a baby.” What he said was fine in terms of representing his participation. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/15 "2019-05-06T18:09:57Z")
“Myself” is usually used for emphasis. “Don’t worry, the job is done. I saw to it myself.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/16 "2019-05-06T18:14:59Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > “Myself” is usually used for emphasis. > > “Don’t worry, the job is done. I saw to it myself.” Yes, that is unobjectionable. That is a standard use of “myself.” That is not the same usage as in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/17 "2019-05-06T18:17:04Z")
I agree the OP’s example is incorrect. It’s a common enough sort of error. I am sure I’ve made it myself. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/18 "2019-05-06T18:18:32Z")
The usage might be non-standard or even stilted, but is hardly ungrammatical. ‘Myself’ is a valid substitute for the 1st person, though some usages will ring truer than others. Does Harry’s grandmother still use ‘We’ as her 1st person singular, as her ancestors did? (Thai has a system of special pronouns reserved for speech by or to royalty.) Perhaps the use of ‘Myself’ is a royal fetish (though it’s acceptable grammar in any case). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/19 "2019-05-06T18:21:35Z")
Going back to the original question: I consider it to be common in a certain formal register. People who are particularly posh would use “myself” where the usual rules of grammar would say to use “I.” It does not surprise me at all that the prince would use this. In fact, it is so common that I’m not so sure we can be so strict as to say that it is “incorrect.” If something commonly used in a prestige dialect, it is hard to argue it is a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566/20 "2019-05-06T18:23:52Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > The usage might be non-standard or even stilted, but is hardly ungrammatical. [\*\* Yes it is.\*\*](https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/03/09/were-all-using-the-word-myself-wrongly-heres-how-to-fix-tha_a_21878890/) > [@](#): > > The word “myself” is what’s called a reflexive pronoun. OH GOD, GRAMMAR JARGON!!! > > Don’t panic. This simply means that “myself” is a word which reflects on something you did to yourself, or for yourself. So it’s not a substitute for a regular old pronoun like “I” or “me”. It’s an add-on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-v-myself-grammar-question/833566.md?page=2)