Hisself
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Hisself" is used instead of "himself" as a reflexive pronoun, a hallmark of regional grammar.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
You’ll hear 'hisself' out in the country all day long. Commonplace. Hillbilly Dude Says...
You’ll hear 'hisself' out in the country all day long. Commonplace. Pronunciation
[hiss-SELF] /hɪsˈsɛlf/
Meaning & Usage
- Dialect reflexive pronoun for "himself"
Ella:
Who fixed that fence?
Who fixed that fence?
Ray:
He did it all by hisself.
He did it all by hisself.variations: Himself (standard form), Theirself / Theirselves (related dialect forms), Yourself, Myself
★ "Hisself" follows a pattern of older English reflexive pronouns (like "hisself," "theirselves") that survived in Southern/Appalachian dialects. It signals informality and regional identity rather than poor grammar. ★
Origin and Etymology
Derived from Middle English reflexives ("hisself" and "themselves") which were once common across English dialects. These forms persisted in rural Southern and Appalachian speech long after disappearing from standard English.
Usage Notes
Still heard in rural Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region it’s considered nonstandard but widely recognized as dialect or folksy style.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: "hisself" - often said quickly with the "his" and "self" blended together.