Reflexives in subject position

[William Morris]

> I've occasionally heard men in the UK refer to their wives/female
>partners using a reflexive pronoun as subject as follows: "Herself
>won't be interested" or "Herself will be staying in tonight". The effect
>is slightly humorous, and seems to imply that the wife/partner is the
>dominant member in the relationship.
>

This is likely from Irish English, in which "himself" (and presumably
"herself") is an honorific, usually used to refer to the head of the
household.  And this is from Irish, in which "fein" 'self' is used
in emphatic usage

O Siadhail, Michael.  1988.  "Learning Irish".  New Haven & London:
Yale University Press.

I'm told that it is also used as an honorific in Irish.

Bill Morris