N o t e. Here also belongs the indefinite reflexive emphasizing pronoun oneself associated with the indefinite pronoun оnе.
I'm sure one can do anything with oneself if one tries.
Reflexive pronouns are used as noun-pronouns, i.e. in one of the following functions:
(1) As predicative showing that the person is of is not in his usual state.
I'm not quite myself. She was herself again.
(2) As object (direct, indirect or prepositional) indicating that the action returns to the doer, i. e. when' subject and object are the same person.
I cut myself. She saw herself in the mirror. It is not always easy to amuse oneself on holiday. Tom and Ann blamed themselves for the accident.
N о t e the change of meaning if we replace the reflexive pronoun by the reciprocal pronoun each other.
Tom and Ann blamed each other. (i. e. Tom blamed Ann and Ann blamed Tom)
These pronouns are used similarly after a preposition.
He spoke to himself. She is too young to look after herself. They looked at themselves in the looking glass.
Compare with:
They looked at each other. (a reciprocal action)
(3) As adverbial modifier of manner emphasizing that a person does something by himself acting without anybody's help.
I did it by myself (i. e. alone, without help). She sat by herself (i.e. alone).
(4) In apposition to a noun or a pronoun having an emphasizing meaning.
The general himself gave him the medal. I have thought of it myself.
Self-pronouns in this function may be regarded as a separate group of emphasizing pronouns.
When used in this way the self-pronoun is never essential and can be omitted without changing the sense. It usually emphasizes the subject of the sentence and is then placed after the subject.
Ann herself opened the door. Tom himself came.
Alternatively it can be placed after the object if there is one.
Ann opened the door herself.
Or after an intransitive verb.
Tom came himself.
If the intransitive verb is followed by a preposition + noun, the emphasizing pronoun can be placed after this noun.
Tom went to London himself. О r: Tom himself went to London.
When it emphasizes another noun it is placed immediately after it.
I saw Tom himself I spoke to the President himself. She liked the diamond itself but not the setting.
N o t e. As a rule, a reflexive pronoun is used if there is another word with which it is associated in the same sentence (the so-called antecedent). However, in colloquial English a reflexive pronoun may be used by itself (as a synonym of a personal pronoun).
Like myself she got used to it. My wife and myself, would be very glad.
