2 syllables: her, self. Stress on self.
hur-SELF
/hɚˈsɛlf/
herself is pronounced hur-SELF (/hɚˈsɛlf/). It has two syllables (her-self), with the stress on "self". Herself is a reflexive pronoun used to refer back to the subject of a sentence, often emphasizing the actor’s own action or state. It can also appear as an emphatic pronoun for stylistic emphasis. The pronunciation centers on a clear /h/ onset, the short /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ vowel, a light /s/ cluster, and a final /self/ with a possible vowel reduction in rapid speech.
Herself is a reflexive pronoun used to refer back to the subject of a sentence, often emphasizing the actor’s own action or state. It can also appear as an emphatic pronoun for stylistic emphasis. The pronunciation centers on a clear /h/ onset, the short /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ vowel, a light /s/ cluster, and a final /self/ with a possible vowel reduction in rapid speech.
"She did it herself, without any help."
"If anyone asks, I’ll do it myself, or she’ll do it herself."
"She blamed herself for the mistake."
It is pronounced with a clear initial /h/, then the stressed syllable usually contains /ɜː/ (US often /ɝ/), followed by /self/. In IPA: US /hɝˈself/ or /hɜːrˈsɛlf/, UK /həˈsɛlf/ or /hɜːˈself/ depending on speaker. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: HER-self. Mouth position: gentle exhalation, lips unrounded for the central vowel, tongue high-mid for /ɜː/ or /ɝ/, then /s/ + /ɛ/ + /lf/ with a final light /f/ release. Listen for the emphasis on the second syllable and a crisp /s/ before the /e/ in self.
Common errors include misplacing stress (pronouncing as HER-self with wrong stress) and mispronouncing the central vowel as a full /e/ or /a/ sound. Another mistake is not clearly articulating the /s/ before /self/, producing /hɜːˈself/ as one syllable or running /həːˈzɛlf/. Correction: keep the strong stress on the second syllable, use a clear /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ in the first stressed vowel, ensure the /s/ is crisp, and end with /lf/ without flapping the final consonant.
US: rhotic with clear /ɝ/ in the stressed syllable and a robust /r/ influence before the vowel. UK: often non-rhotic; the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel, giving /həˈself/ or /hɜːˈself/. AU: similar to UK but with a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a flatter /ɫ/ quality. Across all, the /s/ and /l/ sequence remains distinct, but vowel quality and rhoticity shape the overall melody.
The difficulty lies in the short, centralized vowel in the first syllable and the abrupt /s/ cluster before the final /lf/. Speakers often misplace the stress or merge the second syllable with the first, producing /hɜːˈsɛlf/ or /həˈself/. Focusing on a clear, stressed second syllable and a precise /s/ + /self/ cluster helps. IPA cues: /hɝˈself/ (US) vs /həˈself/ (UK) underline the vowel quality shift and rhotic versus non-rhotic tendencies.
Yes—unlike many non-reflexive pronouns, herself often carries emphatic function when used after verbs or prepositions (e.g., she did it herself). This emphatic use reinforces the subject, which can alter prosody; you might hear slightly longer duration on the second syllable and a sharper /s/ onset before /elf/. Its spelling also closely mirrors other -self family members, so careful attention to the /ɜː/ vs /ɝ/ vowel helps avoid blending with herself vs his self or herself vs his-self.
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The word herself emerged in Middle English as a reflexive pronoun to refer back to a feminine subject, formed from the feminine pronoun she + the reflexive suffix -self, paralleling himself from he + self. The reflexive -self suffix originated in Old English as seolf/ self, with the -self element intensifying or returning action to the subject. The feminine form developed to align with the feminine pronoun she, producing herself to indicate reflexive action performed by a female subject. Over centuries, usage broadened from strictly reflexive function in verbs of action to include emphatic and emphatic-clause constructions (e.g., She made herself comfortable). In modern usage, herself functions in both standard and emphatic contexts, and its pronunciation has remained stable in English varieties, though vowel quality and r-coloring may vary by accent. First known written attestations appear in early Middle English texts, with consistent form by the 14th–15th centuries. The word has retained its core structure across dialects, with occasional regional pronunciation shifts focusing on vowel length, rhotics, and the final consonant cluster reduction in casual speech. This history reflects the broader pattern of self + -self in English, where the reflexive form serves syntactic roles in transitive and intransitive constructions alike.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "herself" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "herself" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "herself"
-elf sounds
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