themself
English
Etymology
From Middle English theimself. Equivalent to them + -self.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈðɛmsɛlf/, /ðɛmˈsɛlf/
- Rhymes: -ɛmsɛlf, -ɛlf
Pronoun
themself
- The reflexive form of they, the third-person singular personal pronoun. The single person previously mentioned, as the object of a verb or following a preposition (also used for emphasis).
- Someone could hurt themself.
- Anyone who wants a car like mine can buy one themself.
- 2013 January 8, John Stoltenberg, Gonerz:
- ... somedays there will be an odd number of quadders and so somebody might have to sit by themself in the back.
Usage notes
- The use of themself instead of themselves is sometimes proscribed,[1] but it is relatively common "considering that singular they is unquestionably far less frequent than plural they".[2] Furthermore, the use of themself as a singular and themselves as a plural is in "clear parallel [to] common usage of the second-person forms, where yourselves can be contrasted with yourself",[3] and the same is true in the first person, where ourselves contrasts with ourself.
- For more on the use of they as a singular pronoun, see they.
- For information on the use of he and himself as a generic singular pronoun, see he.
Synonyms
- themselves (more common)
- theirself, theirselves (nonstandard)
- himself, herself (gender-specific)
- thonself (rare)
- other attested and proposed third-person pronouns
References
- Carl W. Hart, Rocket English Grammar (2012, →ISBN, page 55
- Grammar Without Grammaticality: Growth and Limits of Grammatical Precision (2013, →ISBN, page 56
- Laura Paterson, British Pronoun Use, Prescription, and Processing (2014, →ISBN, page 170
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