By myself=by me myself?

Question

Will you help me understand the meaning of the italicized word combination?

The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play in three acts;
The context: http://www.englishstory.by.ru/shaw/serenade/index.html
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The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play = The piece, written by me myself, was a fairy play
Is this correct?

Moivile · Accepted Answer

Help, please.

Yoong Liat · Answer

MoivileWill you help me understand the meaning of the italicized word combination?

The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play in three acts;
The context: http://www.englishstory.by.ru/shaw/serenade/index.html
--
The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play = The piece, written by me myself, was a fairy play
Is this correct?

To me, strictly speaking, it should be "The piece, wrtten by me, was a fairy play in three acts."

If 'I' is mentioned first, then the next pronoun should be 'myself'.
I myself wrote a fairy play in three parts.

The piece, written by me myself, was a fairy play. (I have never seen such a construction.) Maybe, somebody else has.

Moivile · Answer

http://www.englishstory.by.ru/shaw/serenade/index.html

"The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play in three acts;"
Maybe "myself"="me" in this sentence?

"The piece, written by myself, was a fairy play in three acts"="The piece, written by me, was a fairy play in three acts"

Is this correct?
Help me, please.

Moivile · Answer

Please help me!

Yankee · Answer

Hi Moivile

I would understand the use of "myself" to mean "me" in that context.

Look at definition 3 here:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=52714&dict=CALD
Look at the usage note here:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myself

I'd say that "me myself" would be more emphatic than simply saying "me" or simply saying "myself".

Moivile · Answer

Thank you very much!

Yoong Liat · Answer

Hi Moivile

I have reproduced what I have found in Longman: Guide to English Usage.

I hope you will find the information helpful.

(1) You may use the reflexive for emphasis as the equivalent of you, yourself, she herself, etc .

Henry is keen on sport, and like himself all his friends watch foorball on TV (also: like him).

The first and second person reflexives need not refer back to another noun when they are used after certain prepositions.

No one knows the rules better than yourselves (also: than you).

Except for ourselves, nobody was there (also: except for us).

Like yourself, we have signed the petition (also like you).

The reflexive is also used in place of I and me; but some object to this use, which they feel is a genteel evasion of the choice between I and me. It is better then to avoid myself both for this use and that described in (1) when you are writing formally:

Leslie and myself are playing next ( prefer I ).

She refuses to speak to Doreen and myself ( prefer me ).

By myself=by me myself?

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