Please fill the gap

Yeah, Vinny, but Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary supports the usage as a subordinating conjunction since Old English.

But does it deny usage as a preposition? Always a good idea to see what the primary source actually says, especially when it is so easily to hand.

than: preposition
:in comparison with

After 200 years of innocent if occasional use, the preposition than was called into question by 18th century grammarians. Some 200 years of elaborate reasoning have led to these present-day inconsistent conclusions: than whom is standard but clumsy (T. S. Eliot, than whom nobody could have been more insularly English — Anthony Burgess); than me may be acceptable in speech (a man no mightier than thyself or me — Shakespeare) (why should a man be better than me because he's richer than me — William Faulkner, in a talk to students); than followed by a third-person objective pronoun (her, him, them) is usually frowned upon. Surveyed opinion tends to agree with these conclusions. Our evidence shows that than is used as a conjunction more commonly than as a preposition, that than whom is chiefly limited to writing, and that me is more common after the preposition than the third-person objective pronouns. In short, you can use than either as a conjunction or as a preposition.
First Known Use of THAN
1560

Edited by: iviehoff

Edited by: iviehoff to fix formatting

When I asked what you would choose, of course I had in mind what the correct word should be (we are on SiT after all).

Interestingly - and having read through all the posts so far it seems there is consensus that it is wrong - George Orwell wrote "myself".

I agree that "me" is probably the most commonly used word, but I think the grammatically correct version should actually be "I". Interesting discussion and yes, while time moves on, I like to resist simply following the majority when it actually means they are wrong.

Don't say "My house is being painted," a form unknown to Shakespeare.

I don't say that, because I do my own painting. Just last week when the weather was in the 80s, I painted my wooden ladder and picnic table benches.
I don't often correct grammatical mistakes that other people make (on the internet or in real life) because people don't generally like when someone corrects them. There's no need to irritate them.
When people like the OP ask me for my opinion, I often give it. Unsolicited opinions many times aren't appreciated.

Jim, as long as you're consistent and use only forms and vocabulary that predate Shakespeare, then I think you're OK following your rule of not using anything that is only attested in Shakespeare and thereafter. Be careful with passives. Don't say "My house is being painted," a form unknown to Shakespeare. I think you could say "My house is a-painting, sirrah," instead.

Not so much if you want to be understood, of course. But that may be of minor importance to you.

Cosmo, you don't really get to decide what's correct and incorrect. But as long as you don't criticize people who say "He is taller than me," then it doesn't really matter, because no one thinks "He is taller than I" is wrong, exactly, just that it sounds odd in ordinary conversation.

I agree, VinnyD, although I have to admit that I do get the occasional odd stare by the other person when I use the "than I" version (which I usually do).

Having said that, I would have thought though that George Orwell had a better command of the English language and had at least chosen "me" over "I", but certainly not "myself". Unless that version was grammatically correct in the era between Shakespeare and today.

Your opinion matters as does that of others. We are on SiT after all.

I don't often correct grammatical mistakes that other people make (on the internet or in real life) because people don't generally like when someone corrects them.

Is "not often" the correct quantity for this activity? The Daily Mash writes.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/people-who-highlight-minor-grammar-points-are-amazing-2013082378916

The main problem with a lot of these grammatical elements is that more than 50% of indigenous speakers get the replies for a lot of them wrong... which really makes one wonder from time to time if there is much point in learning correct usage.

Vinny, where is the "than" in "You'll get there just as fast walking as you will taking the bus"?

Cosmopolitan, George Orwell's opinions on correct usage have been savagely mocked by modern grammarians. You may well be more grammatical than he.