What is the correct reflexive pronoun for someone?
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What is the correct reflexive pronoun for someone?
The way someone carries oneself can determine....[I'm not feeling creative enough to make up the rest of the sentence.]
Is this correct? If not, what reflexive pronoun should be used? Themselves and theirselves are plural and someone is singular; themself and theirself are non-standard, and oneself sounds strange to me. Anyone know?
Thank you,
Donna
Is this correct? If not, what reflexive pronoun should be used? Themselves and theirselves are plural and someone is singular; themself and theirself are non-standard, and oneself sounds strange to me. Anyone know?
Thank you,
Donna
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Ok, so google says what it says (descriptive grammar and all that good stuff), but is there a rule (I like rules) that says the pronoun "someone" takes reflexive pronouns "himself" or "herself", but NOT "oneself"? Or, the indefinite pronoun "one" takes the reflexive pronoun "oneself", but "oneself" does not apply to any other indefinite pronouns (such as "someone").
Thanks,
Donna
Thanks,
Donna
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O hits = forbidden by rule, basically. If you want "rules" then please sign woodcutter's petition to create a sane rule pronouncing body, and prevent these "rules" being promulgated by Bill Bryson or John Humphries or long dead windbags.
It sounds very odd to say "someone carries oneself", because I think "someone" is more exclusive of self than "one", and also because of a leap in formality.
It sounds very odd to say "someone carries oneself", because I think "someone" is more exclusive of self than "one", and also because of a leap in formality.
Thanks Macavity for your opinion. I have reservations about using themself since it is listed in the dictionary as non-standard, or, actually my reservations are more the result of my being promptly and not-so-kindly corrected when I used it in informal writing. Of course, I came directly here and posted my question on this board to get some insight and understanding on the matter.Macavity wrote:I think themselves (also themself) works very well. I also teach they/them as a possibility for the pronoun here simply because it is neutral and does away with the he/she (him/her) nonsense.
So then, is it your opinion that the non-standard themself acceptable in most situations? And, isn't themselves plural and someone singular?
Thanks,
Donna
Hi Donna,
Well, I don't really consider non-standard and incorrect to mean the same thing. If I feel a form is acceptable and am comfortable with it, then I'm happy to teach it. Oxford, Cambridge, Websters, et al, don't own the rights, do they?
"The police confirmed that someone was seen leaving the premises in the early hours of the morning but that their identity was as yet unknown".
Naff example perhaps but you see where I'm coming from. Their identity is neutral/non-committal here and not necessarily plural.
Well, I don't really consider non-standard and incorrect to mean the same thing. If I feel a form is acceptable and am comfortable with it, then I'm happy to teach it. Oxford, Cambridge, Websters, et al, don't own the rights, do they?
"The police confirmed that someone was seen leaving the premises in the early hours of the morning but that their identity was as yet unknown".
Naff example perhaps but you see where I'm coming from. Their identity is neutral/non-committal here and not necessarily plural.
Last edited by Macavity on Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ah, now I see how a pronoun that is singular uses a reflexive pronoun that is plural. Thank you.Macavity wrote: "The police confirmed that someone was seen leaving the premises in the early hours of the morning but that their identity was as yet unknown".
Naff example perhaps but you see where I'm coming from. Their identity is neutral/non-committal here and not necessarily plural.