The reflexivization rule can be formulated as an erasure operation that uses one Noun Phrase to delete another. As in the case of relativization [...] the erasure leaves a residue, in particular, the feature [±Human], and it introduces the new phonetic element "self". Thus, when applied to "I hurt I", the first Noun Phrase is used to delete the second, finally giving, "I hurt myself".
- Chomsky (1969), a pag.145-146