Job Discussion Forums

Joe Gahona · Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 27 Location: New York City

Do reflexive rules change when the sentence is imperative?

"Use the tips in this issue to help you fix the things that are
broken and irksome, [...]"

or

"Use the tips in this issue to help yourself fix the things that are
broken and irksome, [...]"

And yes, I am aware that recasting is always an option, that both of these sentences would sound better reworded, and so on.

isanity · Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 179

Is that a reflexive construction? I don't think so. You could say, "I use the tips to help me fix things". I don't think it would be correct English to say, "I use the tips to help myself fix things".

For a real reflexive construction, I don't think anything changes; "Wash yourself!", but not "Wash you!".

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

isanity is correct. The OP provided a sentence that didn't need a reflexive pronoun. To incorporate a reflexive pronoun, the sentence might be one of the following (with yourself used for emphasis):

Use the tips in this issue yourself -- rather than giving them to somebody else.

Use the tips in this issue to help you fix for yourself the things that are broken and irksome -- rather than asking somebody else to fix them for you.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Reflexive pronouns can be used for emphasis.

Joe Gahona · Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 27 Location: New York City

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Do you see the difference in these two sentences? You must use the reflexive pronoun in (1). You cannot use it in (2) to replace you.

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

Joe Gahona,

I would recommend that you post this to the Applied Linguistics forum; there, you will find many a qualified folks. Wink

Joe Gahona · Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 27 Location: New York City

isanity · Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 179

Ignoring for the moment the question of when 'help' can be used reflexively, consider these four sentences:

1. Use these drugs to help you get relief.

2. Use these drugs to help yourself get relief.

3. I use these drugs to help me get relief.

4. I use these drugs to help myself get relief.

If sentence 1 is OK, then sentence 3 is OK. If sentence 2 is OK, then sentence 4 is OK. So no, there is no difference in the use of reflexive verbs in the imperative rather than the indicative.

Joe Gahona · Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 27 Location: New York City

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Just to throw down a clue to the puzzle...

1. Use these drugs to help him get relief

2. Use these drugs to help himself get relief

How's that sound?

Let's try a different causative - get or make

1. Use these drugs to get yourself high

2. Use these drugs to get you high

3. Use these drugs to make you well

4. Use these drugs to make yourself well

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

I'd add the words in blue to Guy's sentences.

Joe Gahona · Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 27 Location: New York City

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I was only tossing out other examples, sticking with the imperative as the OP pointed out.

Follow Mr. Cowell on finding the agent and ye shall find your rule.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Joe, Joe, Joe...

In your final sentence (2), he is the agent of both uses and help. So you must use the reflexive himself after help.

If the agent were we or she or I, then no reflexive pronoun would be needed after help.

Guy is correct again: Stick with the agent.

In the imperative, however, the agent of the first verb is always understood to be you. So the reflexive would not be used if the object of help is another person (e.g., the third-person him).