Re: a question about reflexive pronouns


"Ray" <raymondaliasapollyon@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1147894159.539699.201990@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mr. Jaggers wrote:
"Ray" <raymondaliasapollyon@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1147891193.139270.206440@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,

I'd like to invite the native speakers of *American English* among you
to examine the following sentence and tell me if it is correct: (I'm
doing an experiment, so I only want opinions from speakers of American
English.)

1. John thinks it pleased himself a lot to see Bill die.


Do you think "himself" sounds correct here?

I'll appreciate your help.

Ray

I would avoid the reflexive entirely by writing, "John was pleased to
see..."


I deliberately wrote it that way simply to test how speakers of
American English feel about "himself" in that position. Would it sound
better to you to use "him" instead?

Ray

It sounds better than "himself" but not much better; the whole sentence
remains awkward. Obviously, if the news of Bill's death was pleasing to
John, it is superfluous to say that John "thinks" it to be the case.

Mr. Jaggers


.

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