Q. Our Pittsburgh public service TV station states at the ends of programs, "This program was made possible by the contributions of people like you." But should it be "people like yourself" or "people like yourselves"? — Joseph Forbes, Pittsburgh, Pa.

A. This column is made possible by great questions from people like you (not "people like yourself"). Strictly speaking, reflexive pronouns, such as "myself," "yourself" and "himself," should be used in only two situations:

1. To reflect an antecedent. In "You appointed yourself chairman," for example, the pronoun "yourself" reflects its antecedent, "you."

2. To add emphasis or intensify. In "You yourselves have the power to decide," for example, the pronoun "yourself" emphasizes that YOU have the power.

In the public TV statement, the pronoun "you" is neither reflexive nor intensive. To be so, the sentence would have to be rendered as something like "You made this program possible for yourselves" (reflexive) or "You yourselves made this program possible" (intensive).

How often do people use reflexive pronouns when regular pronouns would do?

All the time. Here are just a few citations from respected authors: "Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves?" (Jane Austen); "I look to nothing but the happiness of yourself" (Thomas Jefferson); "Get me some good left-handers like yourself and Robinson" (Robert Frost).

But using reflexive pronouns where they don't belong can convey a jocular or cloying tone that the writer doesn't intend, e.g. "How'd the game go for yourself, ol' sport?"; "I made this lemonade special for Ted and yourselves."

And don't even get me started on the use of the misuse of the reflexive pronoun "myself"!

OK, you got me started.

When people aren't sure whether to use "I" or "me," they'll often take the weasel's way out and choose "myself," even when it has no reflexive or intensive function: "My wife and myself are delighted to see you"; "Between you and myself . . ."; "Please give your money to Tom or myself."

Arggggggghhhhhhhh!

I'd rather hear someone commit a good, old-fashioned pronoun error ("My wife and me," "Between you and I," "to Tom or I") than to hear the sneaky, conniving, slippery, chiseling, sniveling, skulking, smarmy "myself."

Sorry about that. Whenever I get beside "myself," I get beside myself.

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Rob Kyff and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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