yourself... plain and simple

What is up with people who say 'your own self'?

Making sentences longer does not increase their relevance or weight. It does not serve to help convince others that you know what you're talking about either. All that happens is you waste words, maul the sentence and sound like a fool.

I reserve special scorn for gun-nuts who look squarely at a camera and say 'if there was someone trespassing on your property, wouldn't YOU need a gun to protect your... own... self!'

No. I wouldn't. I'm not going to stand at my doorway yelling 'Git off ma prah-perty or ima shoot yo punk ass'. I would lock my doors, call the police and get a nice strong pole. Because I know how to use it and chances are that it's not going to take a life when used in self-defence. Guns kill people... that's all.

Asking if I want to protect 'my own self' only earns you a mocking laugh. Especially when my views are diametrically opposed to yours.