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Graeme9022 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Reflexive Pronouns: Yourselves / Myself
I have often encountered the use of 'yourselves' in letters addressing organisations or companies, such as 'I submitted the documents to yourselves', 'it appears that the error occurred at the point of transfer between them and yourselves' and 'upon request from yourselves'. However, I feel that this may be inappropriate use, given that it should be used when 'they' are the subject of their OWN action, like 'look at yourselves'. At the same time, I do not feel comfortable with using 'you' for addressing organisations either, as this suggests the individual reader personally, when in all probability it probably wouldn't have been them. What should be used in these circumstances?
This seems similar to the common misuses of 'myself' that we get a lot of nowadays - 'come and see Emma and myself' vs 'come and see Emma and me' and 'David, Jane and myself went' vs 'David, Jane and I went', which I know is another discussion - have I got these right or not?
This seems similar to the common misuses of 'myself' that we get a lot of nowadays - 'come and see Emma and myself' vs 'come and see Emma and me' and 'David, Jane and myself went' vs 'David, Jane and I went', which I know is another discussion - have I got these right or not?
Top answer
Welcome to English Forums, Graeme. Yes, I agree with you; I consider your examples a form of misguided hypercorrection and/or business-speak. On the other hand, I can easily see the yourselves replaced with you , as the person reading the letter is presumably the appropriate representative of the company: I submitted the document to you on 18 April .
- Welcome to English Forums, Graeme.
- Yes, I agree with you; I consider your examples a form of misguided hypercorrection and/or business-speak.
- On the other hand, I can easily see the yourselves replaced with you , as the person reading the letter is presumably the appropriate representative of the company: I submitted the document to you on 18 April .
- If you feel uncomfortable with that, you can always say 'to your office/company/organization' .
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1 Answers
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Welcome to English Forums, Graeme.
Yes, I agree with you; I consider your examples a form of misguided hypercorrection and/or business-speak. On the other hand, I can easily see the yourselves replaced with you, as the person reading the letter is presumably the appropriate representative of the company: I submitted the document to you on 18 April.
I
Yes, I agree with you; I consider your examples a form of misguided hypercorrection and/or business-speak. On the other hand, I can easily see the yourselves replaced with you, as the person reading the letter is presumably the appropriate representative of the company: I submitted the document to you on 18 April.
I
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