Okay, here’s the first problem, and it’s a problem with the language. For the most part English doesn’t have declensions (a form of a word that indicates number, gender or case [don’t ask!]) as the Romance (French, Spanish, etc.) languages. But… Of course, there’s a but. We have pronouns (words used instead of a noun) that not only follow an older form of English that had some declensions, but they’re irregular, which leads to the second problem.
In the case of me/I there is much confusion. Much confusion. And, on my part, much anguish.
“I” and “me” are personal pronouns, that is, used instead of a person’s name. These two words are first person. (You don’t really want me to write “nominative case,” do you.) So when do we use “I,” and when do we use “me?”
Well, I just happen to know.
“I” is always and only used as the subject of the sentence. It’s that simple. For example: My friend and I are going to the movies. Elegant.
So, I ask why do I hear, “Me and my friend are going to the movies.”? And this isn’t once in a while. I hear this consistently and constantly from people who should know better and on TV, who may or may not know better. Drop “and my friend” from the sentence. It reads, “Me are/is going to the movies.” Now you know it’s wrong, huh?
Use “me” for everything else. It’s the direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, blah, blah, blah.
Oh, I beg to differ! What about, “Me so happy, me want to cry?” Nuthin’ wrong there.
#1 Comment vom 17. December 2009 um 7:43 am
Oh, Steve, honey, if I weren’t related to you and didn’t know your sense of humor so well (too well), my heart would break. I’d also have a headrush that would put me in the hospital with a coma (or comma, as the case may be).
#2 Comment vom 07. January 2010 um 12:11 pm