Theirselves vs. Themselves: Which is the Correct Spelling?

• "Theirselves" is an incorrect spelling of the word "themselves."
• Themselves is a pronoun used to refer to a group of people or objects previously mentioned in the discourse. It indicates that the action is performed by or on behalf of the individuals within that group.
  

What does "themselves" mean?

"Themselves" is a reflexive pronoun used to refer back to the antecedent noun or pronoun, emphasizing that the action or state applies to the subject itself. Its usage varies depending on grammatical context and sentence structure.

Key Characteristics:

• Reflexivity: "Themselves" signifies that the subject of the sentence is both the actor and the recipient of the action. This reflexive relationship distinguishes it from regular pronouns like "them" or "they," which can refer to others besides the subject.
• Number and Person: As a plural pronoun, "themselves" typically agrees with plural antecedents. However, it can also be used with singular antecedents in specific contexts, particularly when referring to non-human entities or collectives.
• Syntactic Functions: "Themselves" can function as various parts of speech depending on the sentence structure:

1. Reflexive object: "The students surprised themselves with their good grades."
2. Intensifier: "They painted the mural themselves." (Emphasizes personal involvement)
3. Appositive: "The committee, in themselves, were unable to reach a decision."

The use of "theirselves" and "themselves" over time

The Ngram graph below shows how often "theirselves" and "themselves" have been used from the 1800s to the 2000s. "Themselves" has seen relatively steady use despite seeing a gradual decline from the 1840s, while its misspelling "theirselves" has seen nearly zero use.

How to pronounce "theirselves"

In British English, "theirselves" is pronounced like "them·selvz".

In American English, "theirselves" is pronounced like "thuhm·selvz".

Why would we misspell "themselves" as "theirselves"?

1. Morphological analogy: Some individuals may incorrectly extend the possessive form of "they" (their) to "selves," creating the nonstandard "theirselves."
2. Spacing error: People might mistakenly assume that the phrase "their selves" can be written as "theirselves".

Other common misspellings of "theirselves"

1. themself
2. themselfs
3. themseleves
4. themsleves
5. them selvs

Example sentences of the misspelling of "themselves" as "theirselves"

1. "Theirselves" is not a recognized word; the correct form is "themselves."
2. Incorrect: People often take care of theirselves. Correct: People often take care of themselves.
3. Please note the error: "Theirselves" should be replaced with "themselves" for proper grammar.
4. Using "theirselves" in formal writing may be considered incorrect and should be avoided.
5. Be cautious of spelling errors like "theirselves"; the appropriate term is "themselves."

Example sentences of "themselves"

1. The students organized the event all by themselves.
2. After the challenging hike, they rewarded themselves with a hearty meal.
3. Cats are known for grooming themselves regularly.
4. The employees decorated the office for the holiday season by themselves.
5. In a group project, each member contributed equally to express themselves.
6. The siblings decided to build a treehouse in the backyard all by themselves.
7. During the team-building exercise, each participant introduced themselves to the group.
8. The actors, having memorized their lines, delivered the dialogue flawlessly by themselves on stage.
9. After the long journey, the travelers treated themselves to a relaxing day at the spa.
10. The children took it upon themselves to organize a surprise party for their parents' anniversary.

Synonyms for "theirselves"

1. Themselves
2. Themselves alone
3. They
4. The group
5. Those individuals

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References:

Definition of THEMSELVES

those identical ones that are they —used reflexively, for emphasis, or in absolute constructions; himself or herself : himself, herself —used with an indefinite third person singular antecedent; their normal, healthy, or sane condition… See the full definition

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