Myself/yourself/themselves 등

재귀 대명사라고 불리는 녀석들로, 우리말에는 없는 용법입니다. 저는 사실 이 표현을 잘 사용하지 않습니다만 제가 아는 미국인 친구들은 생각보다 많이 사용합니다. 주로 강조를 할 때 많이 사용했던 것으로 기억합니다.

1. 기본 구조

주어와 목적어가 같은 대상일 경우 재귀 대명사 (myself/yourself/himself 등)을 사용합니다:

Steve cut himself while he was shaving this morning.

다음은 재귀 대명사들입니다:

• I don't want you to pay for me. I'll pay for myself. (not I'll pay for me)

• Julie had a great vacation. She enjoyed herself very much.

• (한 사람에게 말할 때) Do you sometimes talk to yourself?

• (여려 사람에게 말할 때) If you want more to eat, help yourselves.

아래 두 문장을 비교해 보세요:

• • It's not our fault. You can't blame us.

  • It's our own fault. We should blame ourselves.

2. 재귀 대명사를 사용하지 않는 표현

bring / take something with ... 뒤에는 재귀 대명사를 사용하지 않습니다:

• • It might rain. I'll take an umbrella with me. (not with myself)

concentrate/feel/relax/meet 뒤에는 재귀 대명사를 사용하지 않습니다:

• • You have to try and concentrate. (not concentrate yourself)

  • "Do you feel nervous?" "Yes, I can't relax."

  • What time should we meet? (not meet ourselves, not meet us)

3. -selves와 each other

each other 대신 one another를 사용할 수 있습니다:

• • How long have you and Bill known one another? (or known each other)

  • Sue and Ann don't like each other. (or don't like one another)

4. 강조를 위한 재귀 대명사

재귀 대명사는 강조를 위한 용도로 사용할 수 있습니다:

• • "Who repaired your bicycle for you?" "Nobody. I repaired it myself."

여기에서 myself는 내가 스스로 자전거를 고쳤다는 사실을 강조하기 위해 사용되었습니다.

• • I'm not going to do it for you. You can do it yourself.

  • Let's paint the house ourselves. It will be much cheaper.

  • The movie itself wasn't very good. But I liked the music.

  • I don't think Sue will get the job. Sue herself doesn't think she'll get it. (or Sue doesn't think she'll get it herself.)