You hear a lot of folks say things like, “For the best back wax ever, just give Betty or myself a call.”
What’s with the myself?
It probably comes from uncertainty around the whole I/me thing. Most people can’t remember which to use, so they mistakenly think that saying myself fixes the problem.
It doesn’t.
Remember the test from, oh, seventh-grade English? Using the above example, remove the part about Betty: “If you need a good back wax, just give I/me a call.” It’s me, right? I mean, you wouldn’t say, “Just give I a call,” would you?
Nor would you say, “Just give myself a call.” (If you would, stop reading this post, grab a hammer, and strike yourself firmly between the eyes. I’ll wait.)
Now then. Use myself only after I in sentences like, “I’m more of a laser hair removal kind of guy myself.” In other situations, train yourself to hear the difference between I and me, and speak accordingly.
