Reading Theme:
Himself: Reflexive and Emphatic Pronoun Guide (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：reflexive form of him (himself)
himself
/hɪmˈsɛlf/
pron.
Used when a man or boy does an action that also affects him, or to emphasize it's him.
reflexive form of him
➕
/rɪˈflɛksɪv fɔːrm ʌv hɪm/
pron.
Used when a male person performs an action that affects himself, often to show the subject and object are the same individual.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
Combination of 'him' and 'self'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think 'him' plus 'self' — he acts upon himself.
📖 Example
Tom was talking to himself while fixing the car, a habit he picked up from his grandfather.
Tom was talking to himself while fixing the car, a habit he picked up from his grandfather.
🔗 Collocations
by himself – alone, without help from others
talk to himself – speak to oneself
teach himself – learn without a teacher
🔄 Synonyms
oneself (pron.) – the reflexive pronoun for any person (gender-neutral)
📖 Cultural Story
Originates from Old English 'him selfum', where 'self' meant 'same'. The phrase emphasized the identity of the person.
Meaning 2：emphatic form of him (himself)
himself
/hɪmˈsɛlf/
pron.
Used to make it very clear that you are talking about that specific man or boy, and nobody else.
emphatic form of him
➕
/ɪmˈfætɪk fɔːrm ʌv hɪm/
pron.
Used to stress that a specific male person, and no one else, did something or is being referred to.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The CEO himself came to our small team meeting to hear our ideas.
The CEO himself came to our small team meeting to hear our ideas.
🔗 Collocations
the president himself – the president personally, not a representative
he himself said – he said it personally, with his own words
the man himself – that very man, often used when he arrives
🔄 Synonyms
personally (adv.) – in one’s own person, not through others
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