In Defense of the M-Word
Bemoaning grammatical I-sores27 total reviews
Comment from lyenochka
Thank you for this most wonderful rant! I totally agree with you and we're both in the Over-correctional Institute. But I can tolerate "It's me" just fine. It's when they say things like, "Give Jerry and he" -- arrgh! And these are well-educated people. It really helps to have studied highly inflected languages so that objects and subjects actually change form!
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2020
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Thank you for this most wonderful rant! I totally agree with you and we're both in the Over-correctional Institute. But I can tolerate "It's me" just fine. It's when they say things like, "Give Jerry and he" -- arrgh! And these are well-educated people. It really helps to have studied highly inflected languages so that objects and subjects actually change form!
Comment Written 04-Nov-2020
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2020
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"It is I" sounds wrong to me, despite it being grammatically correct; "It's me" is idiomatic--i.e. it's wrong but everyone says it--so it is acceptable to the point that now right sounds wrong. Also, I can't get used to the correct "It's s/he--where I come from we say him/her. My pet peeve, per this piece, is the "overcorrection" by those who think they sound well educated. Cheers. LIZ
Comment from kmoss
When I first read the description, I thought this was going to be about murder. Ha. A grammatically correct game of Heads Up, Seven Up! I appreciated this piece a lot. My favorite part is: I fear that I am consigned to permanent imprisonment--solitary confinement--in Cringe City's Over-Correctional Institute, here in the lonely heart of "No-Me's" Land.
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2020
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When I first read the description, I thought this was going to be about murder. Ha. A grammatically correct game of Heads Up, Seven Up! I appreciated this piece a lot. My favorite part is: I fear that I am consigned to permanent imprisonment--solitary confinement--in Cringe City's Over-Correctional Institute, here in the lonely heart of "No-Me's" Land.
Comment Written 03-Nov-2020
reply by the author on 04-Nov-2020
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Thanks for stopping by--I'm delighted you got a kick from my twisted humor. Cheers. LIZ
Comment from robyn corum
Elizabeth,
What a fun and much-needed reminder of proper English usage. I think many, many of us get lazy when we speak. Hopefully, when we write narrative we will check those tendencies.
I know when I try to correct folks (my knowledge being what it is) I try to allow some room in the dialogue portions - when I want to correct everything. ha
I had to take a look at some of your reviews and figured you may have cringed a few times there, as well. *smile*
I also wondered whether I should mention that in one of your responses you said, 'Thanks for STOOPING by.' It thought it might have been a typo -- but then... maybe not. Thanks!
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2020
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Elizabeth,
What a fun and much-needed reminder of proper English usage. I think many, many of us get lazy when we speak. Hopefully, when we write narrative we will check those tendencies.
I know when I try to correct folks (my knowledge being what it is) I try to allow some room in the dialogue portions - when I want to correct everything. ha
I had to take a look at some of your reviews and figured you may have cringed a few times there, as well. *smile*
I also wondered whether I should mention that in one of your responses you said, 'Thanks for STOOPING by.' It thought it might have been a typo -- but then... maybe not. Thanks!
Comment Written 03-Nov-2020
reply by the author on 03-Nov-2020
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It was a typo--I meant sNooping!
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Not ?stopping ??
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Of course Stopping--I was being facetious with snooping.
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hahahaha!
Comment from equestrik
I think twice at times to clarify if I heard correctly or read correctly when it should be me or I etc. I understand how this could be a pet peeve for sure.
reply by the author on 01-Nov-2020
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I think twice at times to clarify if I heard correctly or read correctly when it should be me or I etc. I understand how this could be a pet peeve for sure.
Comment Written 01-Nov-2020
reply by the author on 01-Nov-2020
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Thanks for stooping by.
"It is I" sounds wrong to me, despite it being grammatically correct; "It's me" is idiomatic--i.e. it's wrong but everyone says it--so it is acceptable to the point that now right sounds wrong. Also, I can't get used to the correct "It's s/he--where I come from we say him/her. My pet peeve, per this piece, is the "overcorrection" by those who think they sound well educated. Cheers. LIZ
Comment from Tim Noble
I plead guilty too. I blame my father who, pointing out the enormous difference between "expect" and "anticipate", told me that I might expect to get married but I should not anticipate marriage. My bugbears are
"12 pm" (a time that does not exist), "the principle reason" (rather than principal), "getting home" (rather than going or reaching), and many others. As you say, I feel permanently imprisoned by my teachers.
reply by the author on 10-Jul-2020
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I plead guilty too. I blame my father who, pointing out the enormous difference between "expect" and "anticipate", told me that I might expect to get married but I should not anticipate marriage. My bugbears are
"12 pm" (a time that does not exist), "the principle reason" (rather than principal), "getting home" (rather than going or reaching), and many others. As you say, I feel permanently imprisoned by my teachers.
Comment Written 09-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 10-Jul-2020
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Thanks for stopping by Tim--what a lovely ssssssurprise! A principal's principal reason for discipline should be based on his principles; not on his losing his temper with the obnoxious brat. Cheers. LIZ
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If you anticipate marriage you may find yourself having to wed sooner than expected.
Comment from Eternal Muse
An entertaining tale which flowed very well and had a great descriptive imagery. They certainly played interesting games in that 5th grade (smile). Thank you for letting us know in the author notes that's serving time in prison and the appeal to President Obama were not autobiographical (lol), I was beginning to get worried.
Thank you so much for sharing this story with us.
reply by the author on 08-Jul-2020
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An entertaining tale which flowed very well and had a great descriptive imagery. They certainly played interesting games in that 5th grade (smile). Thank you for letting us know in the author notes that's serving time in prison and the appeal to President Obama were not autobiographical (lol), I was beginning to get worried.
Thank you so much for sharing this story with us.
Comment Written 08-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 08-Jul-2020
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So glad you liked the story! Stop by anytime. (Alas, Obama did say the cringeworthy ? was given to Michelle and I). Cheers. LIZ
Comment from BethShelby
I enjoyed this little trip into the correct way to say I and me. I'm afraid I've been quilting of saying the wrong word sometimes at the end of a sentence. I know better but if I give it not thought I might very well say or write in wrong. I hope my friends will keep correcting me when I goof up on this site.
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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I enjoyed this little trip into the correct way to say I and me. I'm afraid I've been quilting of saying the wrong word sometimes at the end of a sentence. I know better but if I give it not thought I might very well say or write in wrong. I hope my friends will keep correcting me when I goof up on this site.
Comment Written 06-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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"It is I" sounds wrong to me, despite it being grammatically correct; "It's me" is idiomatic--i.e. it's wrong but everyone says it--so it is acceptable to the point that now right sounds wrong. Also, I can't get used to the correct "It's s/he--where I come from we say him/her. My pet peeve, per this piece, is the "overcorrection" by those who think they sound well educated. Cheers. LIZ
Comment from thaities, Rebecca V.
I was taught that the verb is the cut off point. Before the verb is "I" and after is "me". I doesn't matter how many nouns are with either one.
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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I was taught that the verb is the cut off point. Before the verb is "I" and after is "me". I doesn't matter how many nouns are with either one.
Comment Written 06-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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Good way to remember! "It is I" sounds wrong to me, despite it being grammatically correct; "It's me" is idiomatic--i.e. it's wrong but everyone says it--so it is acceptable to the point that now right sounds wrong. Also, I can't get used to the correct "It's s/he--where I come from we say him/her. My pet peeve, per this piece, is the "overcorrection" by those who think they sound well educated. Cheers. LIZ
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English is a hard language to get right. I solved the problem by writing like I talk--right or wrong.
Comment from Margaret Bednar
!!! My husband has drilled into I (haha just kidding) the correct usage of such - to the extent that even my 12-year-old will often point out incorrect usage. I might have gotten Miss Fleming's exercise wrong as "No, it was not I" sounds incorrect to me.
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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!!! My husband has drilled into I (haha just kidding) the correct usage of such - to the extent that even my 12-year-old will often point out incorrect usage. I might have gotten Miss Fleming's exercise wrong as "No, it was not I" sounds incorrect to me.
Comment Written 06-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 06-Jul-2020
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It is I sounds wrong to me too, despite it being grammatically correct; "It's me" is idiomatic--i.e. it's wrong but everyone says it--so it is acceptable to the point that now right sounds wrong. Also, I can't get used to the correct "It's s/he--where I come from we say him/her. My pet peeve, per this piece, is the "overcorrection" by those who think they sound well educated. Cheers. LIZ
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Exactly. Use ?I? because it means ?intelligent?!
Comment from kleck140
Very well said and I enjoyed the educational
part of it all. I was taught as you were.
Sharing that thought brought back many
fond memories. Keep on sharing. Thanks.
reply by the author on 05-Jul-2020
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Very well said and I enjoyed the educational
part of it all. I was taught as you were.
Sharing that thought brought back many
fond memories. Keep on sharing. Thanks.
Comment Written 05-Jul-2020
reply by the author on 05-Jul-2020
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Thanks for stopping by--that was quick! Glad you liked it. Cheers. LIZ
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You are welcome!