One could argue that the "wrong" use of myself is actually "right." It is a matter of prescriptivism versus descriptivism. While prescriptive grammars state how a language should be used, be it grammar, syntax, spelling or whatever; descriptive grammars describe the language as it is actually being used. However, in the ideal descriptive world, a grammar had to be written of the language of each and every person in the world as nobody speaks in exactly the same manner. So, naturally, only common traits shared between a certain amount of people is described. This would still lead to more writing standards than in the present relatively prescriptive world - consider the many language boards or committess or councils around the world. On the other hand, it would result in several language standards in school, more money spent on paperwork in governments and institutions, and so on, and if pure descriptivism was encouraged, every person would write in their own style creating gaps with no mutual intelligibility.

As suggested, both practices have their pros and cons, and the debate is still very much alive today. Consider the situation of me/myself, which we have already discussed here. Why should the "wrong" usage of myself not be considered "right" when such a large amount of the population accepts it unconsciously? For instance, it is considered "right" in Irish English grammars -- because it is used so extensively.

Quote Originally Posted by Throbert McGee View Post
Note that this usage possibly developed from English speakers trying to avoid either "I" or "me" because they're not sure which is correct!
Quote Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
In Irish English it can come from Pól agus mé féin. This féin (self) has very many meanings in Irish and can be used in various situation.
Firstly, according to Filppula (1999): "The Grammar of Irish English," the reflexive pronouns in Irish English may be used in object position as in Standard English, and in subject position and as a prepositional complement unlike in Standard English. Also, recent research apparentlys show, that the reflexive pronouns may be used non-reflexivelly in southern dialects.

Next, the origin of this kind of usage of myself is rather problematic, as corpus analyses have shown that such usage is not only used in Irish Gaelic and the other Goidelic languages, but has been attested in Old- and Middle English, as well as in Early Modern English, including in works of Byron and Shakespeare. Furthermore, it has also been attested in Scots English (not to be confused with Scottish Gaelic). Of the non-Goidelic languages it is most present in Irish English though, being used by all social classes, and used the most in Southwestern Ireland. Thus, it is proposed that the feature may appeared as a result of language contact between earlier stages of Irish Gaelic and English, where speakers of Irish Gaelic were able to recognise the usage of myself in non-subject positions by English speakers, although only infrequently - linguistically known as interlingual identification - and applied it to their own English, what would become Irish English. And additionally, some Irish Gaelic constructions of reflexive pronouns have left their imprints on Irish English, constructions which are not present in any other English dialect.