English Pronunciation Tip of the Day
Tip 88
Category:
Intonation
Author: JAM
Reflexive pronouns and the nucleus
Reflexive pronouns, words like myself yourself herself, tend not to be the nucleus of the intonation pattern. Here are some examples (nucleus underlined):
I can't help myself.
He hasn't hurt himself.
We shouldn't blame ourselves for this.
However, the same words can be used as emphatic pronouns, in which case they nearly always are the nucleus:
Why don't you do it yourself?
I can't believe it myself.
Notice that it is the -self or -selves part that is the nucleus in these cases.