Refexive pronoun

[Joern Matthias]

I learned at school that if the subject and the object refer to the same person, a reflexive
pronoun has to be used in English but sentence 1, 3 and 4 sound funny. Why?



1. When I saw all the presents for me/myself, I was happy.

2. I do not like pictures of myself.

3. I cannot understand the fuss about me/myself.

4. I am not going to ask my boss for the promotion of me/myself. He will have to offer me.

Greetings from Bavaria

Joern

[5jj]

When the subject and the direct or indirect object refer to the same person, a reflexive pronoun is appropriate. After a preposition, we use a reflexive pronoun only if there is some clear relationship between the subject and the prepositional object.

With my new mobile, I can take pictures of myself.
I saw him looking at a photo of me.
I like looking at photos of me (/myself).
I cannot understand the fuss (that others make) about me.
I am not going to ask my boss for (his) promotion of me.

(That last sentence would probably be produced as: I am not going to ask my boss to promote me.)

[Raymott]

I learned at school that if the subject and the object of a verb refer to the same person, a reflexive
pronoun has to be used in English but sentence 1, 3 and 4 sound funny. Why?



1. When I saw all the presents for me/myself, I was happy.
'me' is not an object of the verb 'saw' here.

2. I do not like pictures of myself.
See 5jj's post for an explanation of why "myself" works here. Even so, "myself" is not an object of the verb "like".

3. I cannot understand the fuss about me/myself.
'me' is not an object of the verb 'understood'.

4. I am not going to ask my boss for the promotion of me/myself. He will have to offer me.
'me' is not an object of "going to ask".

Greetings from Bavaria

Joern

I've amended your rule.

1. When I saw myself, I was happy. (Direct object)
2. I do not like myself. (Direct object)
3. I cannot understand myself. (Direct object)
4. I am not going to ask myself ...." (Direct object)
5. I gave a present to myself" (Indirect object)