Stop myselfing around

I’m a little obsessed with cooking competitions. I watch them on my snack breaks and when I’m on the elliptical.

The other day, a “Chopped” judge made me cringe when he said, “Myself and all the other judges.”

“Myself” is one of the most misused words in the English language. People seem to think it makes them sound more polite or formal, when in fact they are almost always using the term incorrectly.

Most people incorrectly use “myself” as a substitute for “me” or “I.” For example:

Incorrect: “Myself and all the other judges loved your dish.”

Correct: “All the other judges and I loved your dish.”

Incorrect: “Please give the dish to Ted and myself”

Correct: “Please give the dish to Ted and me."

Incorrect: “Amanda and myself will judge your dish.”

Correct: “Amanda and I will judge your dish.”

Incorrect: “You can contact myself with questions.”

Correct: “You can contact me with questions.”

When to Use “Myself”

“Myself” or “yourself” are reflexive pronouns. In other words, they should only be used when you’re describing something pointing back to you. They’re usually used with words like “with” or “to.” For example, “I taught myself how to make pasta,” or “She blamed herself for burning the sauce.”

Myself/yourself, etc., can also be used when you are trying to emphasize the sentence subject. For example, “I myself will make the dessert."

These are the only times “myself” should be used...reflexively or emphatically (about yourself).

Using “myself” incorrectly might create confusion or undermine your credibility as a writer or speaker.

Remember: when in doubt, stick to “me” or “I.” You’ll rarely go wrong.