Hi, while correcting students' translation sentences, there is a an expression "put your failure behind you." Some of the students wrote "put your failure behind yourself." Do you think the use of "yourself" an acceptable writing style? I check the Longman Dictionary. Under the entry of "behind," there is only sentences with the expression of "put... behind you," nothing like that of "...yourself."
Last edited by simile; 15-Oct-2012 at 12:44.
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You will come across yourself used like this, but is there any good reason for it? I am afraid that I don't like the use of myself as a supposedly posh or upmarket way of saying me. When I hear things like please inform myself or my colleagues, I shudder. I pride myself, can hurt myself but never put my failures behind myself.![]()
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Just about, myselfer.![]()
Yeah, but...
This one has "you" as the implied subject and "you" as the object, which seems to merit the use of the reflexive.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Don't forget to leave one for yourself.
So why is this one different? I agree it doesn't sound natural, but what is the reason that "behind you" is right and "behind yourself" is not, when "you" is the subject and object?
I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.