Use of me vs myself

Question

I know that it's correct to use "me" in this sentence:

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

What about this sentence?

Please feel free to contact either Eric or myself with any questions.

"myself" sounds better, but I don't know if it's correct or why "me" is not correct. Is it simply because of the use of "either"? What makes "myself" more correct than "me" in that sentence? (Or is it???)

Thanks!

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

This is one of the numerous points of English grammar on which there is little agreement. This quotation about usage is from an American dictionary:

—Usage. There is no disagreement over the use of MYSELF and other -SELF forms when they are used intensively (I myself cannot agree) or reflexively (He introduced himself proudly). Questions are raised, however, when the -SELF forms are used instead of the personal pronouns (I, me, etc.) as subjects, objects, or complements.
MYSELF occurs only rarely as a single subject in place of I: Myself was the one who called. The recorded instances of such use are mainly poetic or literary. It is also uncommon as a simple object in place of ME: Since the letter was addressed to myself, I opened it. As part of a compound subject, object, or complement, MYSELF and to a lesser extent the other -SELF forms are common in informal speech and personal writing, somewhat less common in more formal speech and writing: The manager and myself completed the arrangements. Many came to welcome my husband and myself back to Washington.
MYSELF and other -SELF forms are also used, alone or with other nouns or pronouns, in constructions after as, than, or but in all varieties of speech and writing: The captain has far more experience than myself in such matters. Orders have arrived for everyone but the orderlies and yourself.
There is ample precedent, going as far back as Chaucer and running through the whole range of British and American literature and other serious formal writing, for all these uses. Many usage guides, however, state that to use MYSELF in any construction in which I or ME could be used instead (as My daughter and myself play the flute instead of My daughter and I, or a gift for my husband and myself instead of for my husband and me) is characteristic only of informal speech and that such use ought not to occur in writing.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, CB.

OK, so while it sounds to me like writing "either Eric or myself" is more formal, that excerpt is saying that it is more informal and that "either Eric or me" is considered more formal for writing purposes.

Hm. What do you think?

Cool Breeze · Answer

AnonymousHm. What do you think?

I'm a non-native speaker of English. It hardly matters what I think. I just make observations about usage and I'm experienced enough to know that what some natives consider formal others may consider informal and vice versa. And that isn't restricted to English at all. The same is true about many other languages, including Finnish, my native language.

CB

Khoff · Answer

Ugh! To me, "Feel free to contact Eric or myself" just sounds wrong!  Apparently, according to the text CJ quotes, it has been around for a long time and some authorites consider it acceptable.  THis surprises me somewhat--  to me it sounds like a  mistake on the order of "give it to Jim and I" -- that is, a pretentious mistake made by people who think it sounds "better" than the actual correct form.  I would not use "myself" as the object of a verb unless the subject of the verb was "I."  I can talk to myself, but no one else can talk to myself!

BarbaraPA · Answer

I completely agree with khoff.

I think people were corrected too many times when they said "Jackie and me went to the mall" and now are afraid to use "me" -- even when it's the right word.

I inwardly cringe when I hear well-educated people use "to either X or myself" when they think they are making themselves more formal and instead are simply being ... well, wrong!

Anonymous · Answer

OK, you folks don't have to jump down my throat.  I was asking which one was correct.  And now in your high-horsed manner, you have both insulted and corrected me.  Thanks, I think.

Philip · Answer

I don't see anything that I would call high-horsed manner or insulting in any of the responses to your question. (But at least you thanked the people who responded, which is something a lot of people fail to do.)

I agree with GG and with khoff. The use of 'myself' as anything other than reflexive or emphatic just doesn't sit well with me.

Khoff · Answer

Sorry, Anonymous, I didn't mean to insult you.  If I had been the first to reply to your question, I would have just said that the sentence with 'myself" was incorrect.  I was so surprised by Jim's suggestion that some authorities might think it was okay that I got a bit too emphatic.    I did not intend to be offensive.

CalifJim · Answer

khoffI was so surprised by Jim's suggestion that some authorities might think it was okay that I got a bit too emphatic.

Until now, I have not participated in this post except to indicate that CB's response was good. What he did, mostly, was to quote a dictionary usage note, which I thought was good information.

Previous references to "CJ" and "Jim" in this thread are therefore puzzling. I have certainly made no suggestions here.

Jim (CJ)

BarbaraPA · Answer

CB... CJ... One erudite and charming man is easily confused with another!

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