Himself vs. Hisself – Which is Correct?
Himself is the standard English reflexive pronoun; hisself is generally considered nonstandard and should be avoided in formal writing and speech. Use himself to refer back to a male person or emphasize identity. Hisself may appear in dialectal or historical dialogue, but it is not appropriate in standard English.
Himself or Hisself – Which is Correct?
Himself is the correct spelling in standard English. It is a reflexive pronoun used when the object of a sentence refers to a male subject, as in “He introduced himself.” It can also emphasize a person, as in “The manager himself approved the request.”
Hisself is a nonstandard form and is usually treated as a misspelling in modern formal English. It may occur in some regional dialects, informal speech, historical writing, or deliberately represented dialogue. However, use himself in essays, business communication, academic writing, journalism, and other edited contexts.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the standard pronoun pattern as your memory trick: him becomes himself, not “hisself.” The word begins with the object pronoun him, followed by self. If you can replace the word with “him,” choose himself.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| himself | Reflexive pronoun | Refers back to a male person or adds emphasis | He repaired the bike himself. |
| hisself | Nonstandard pronoun | Dialectal or informal variant of “himself” | Use only when preserving a speaker’s dialect or quotation. |
How to Use Himself
Himself is a reflexive pronoun. Use it when a male subject and the object of the verb refer to the same person. For example, in “Daniel blamed himself,” Daniel is both the person performing the action and the person affected by it.
Himself can also function as an emphatic pronoun. In this use, it highlights the person rather than acting as a necessary object of the verb. The sentence “The author himself answered the question” emphasizes that the author, rather than an assistant or representative, answered it.
The word is suitable for formal, neutral, and casual English. It does not change according to tense, number, or grammatical case.
Example 1: Marcus taught himself how to play the guitar.
Example 2: The director himself attended the opening ceremony.
Example 3: He reminded himself to check the figures before submitting the report.
Etymology of the word Himself
Himself comes from the combination of the pronoun him and the noun self. The word has been used in English since the Old and Middle English periods. Its structure reflects the broader group of English reflexive pronouns, including myself, yourself, herself, ourselves, and themselves.
Related Concepts
Understanding reflexive and emphatic pronouns makes it easier to choose himself correctly and recognize why hisself is not standard in edited English.
- Reflexive pronouns: Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of a sentence. In “He congratulated himself,” himself refers back to he.
- Emphatic pronouns: An emphatic pronoun adds stress or emphasis. In “The president himself signed the document,” himself highlights the president’s personal involvement.
- Subject and object pronouns: He is normally a subject pronoun, while him is an object pronoun. The reflexive form built from him is himself.
- Nonstandard dialect forms: Some words appear in regional or historical speech without being accepted in formal standard English. Hisself can occur this way, but it should not replace himself in ordinary edited writing.
Examples from Media and Literature
The standard form himself appears widely in literature, religious texts, journalism, scripts, and everyday dialogue. These examples show its two main functions: referring back to a male subject and adding emphasis.
These distinctions also clarify why compound subjects require care, as explained in Him and I vs. Him and Myself.
- The Gospel of Mark: The phrase “He saved others; himself he cannot save” uses himself reflexively in a well-known biblical passage.
- Shakespearean drama: Shakespeare frequently uses forms such as “himself” to emphasize a character’s personal actions or identity in dramatic dialogue.
- Modern news writing: Reports may state that a public official “himself denied the allegation,” emphasizing that the official personally made the denial.
- Film dialogue: A character might say, “He built the entire machine himself,” using himself to stress that no one else helped.
- Contemporary fiction: A narrator may write, “By the end of the journey, he barely recognized himself,” using himself to refer back to the character.
Himself Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| that man | A phrase that can refer back to a male person, depending on context. |
| the man personally | Emphasizes that the male person took an action directly. |
| on his own | Means without help from another person, where the context permits. |
| by his own efforts | Emphasizes that a male person completed something independently. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “hisself” a word?
“Hisself” can be found in some dialects, informal speech, and historical or literary dialogue, but it is not the standard English form. In most writing and speech, use himself.
Question 2: Is “himself” always correct?
“Himself” is correct when it refers back to a male subject or emphasizes a male person. For example, “He hurt himself” is reflexive, while “The coach himself spoke to the team” is emphatic.
Question 3: Can “hisself” be used in dialogue?
It may be used in dialogue when an author is intentionally representing a character’s regional or nonstandard speech. Outside that specific purpose, it can appear to be a spelling error and should be replaced with himself.
Conclusion
Himself is the correct standard English form, while hisself is a nonstandard dialectal variant or a misspelling in ordinary contexts. Remember that the correct word combines him and self: himself. Pro tip: Use the standard form in professional communication to avoid distracting readers and protect your credibility.
