# "Me" is not a dirty word **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220 "2009-08-12T20:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/1 "2009-08-12T20:43:32Z")
No, this isn’t about making yourself a priority. It’s another grammar rant. Anyone in an office has been subjected to “Please contact myself with any questions.” “…and I” is simply not always correct, people! “She gave it to Tim and I.” And God forbid if Tim wasn’t there; you might briefly consider using the correct but horrid “me” but save yourself at the last moment: “She gave it to myself.” Whew, dodged a bullet there. Me, me, me! It’s not a curse! It’s frigging name I call…myself. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/2 "2009-08-12T20:48:09Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Me, me, me! It’s not a curse! It’s frigging name I call…myself. :smack: Fa! A friggin’ long-a way to run! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/3 "2009-08-12T20:52:09Z")
Fuck me! A lot of us have trouble deciding whether me or I is appropriate for any given sentence. There’s a general sense that I is more formal and thus usually the right choice. I know that’s not true but I’ve never been clear on the rules. We’re used to using it wrong. The myself thing is the same, but about ten times more obvious and obnoxious. People bust that one out to sound regal and important, and it fails badly. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/4 "2009-08-12T21:00:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I know that’s not true but I’ve never been clear on the rules. Try saying the sentence without the other person. That usually makes it obvious: “Mark and me went to the movies.” –\> “Me went to the movies.” Whoops! That should be “Mark and I went to the movies.” “She gave the party hats to Mark and I” –\> “She gave the party hats to I.” Whoops! That should be “She gave the party hats to Mark and me.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/5 "2009-08-12T21:04:29Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Try saying the sentence without the other person. That usually makes it obvious: That makes it really easy in written or typed form. Spoken, it’s a little harder to work it out on the fly. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Captain\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/6 "2009-08-12T21:04:30Z")
‘Me’ might not be a dirty word, however the phrase ‘she gave it to Tim and I’ might lead to infantile sniggering. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/7 "2009-08-12T21:05:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Fuck me! > > A lot of us have trouble deciding whether me or I is appropriate for any given sentence. There’s a general sense that I is more formal and thus usually the right choice. I know that’s not true but I’ve never been clear on the rules. We’re used to using it wrong. There’s one simple test you can do to help with this, and it was actually suggested obliquely in the OP. If the sentence refers to you and another person, then remove the other person and ask yourself which pronoun (me or I) you would use if the sentence were just about you. For example: **John is going to the baseball game with Peter and (me/I).** Now, remove Peter and see which one works: **John is going to the baseball game with (me/I).** Easy, right? It’s “me.” So now, just reinsert Peter into the sentence to get: **John is going to the baseball game with Peter and me.** Or another example: **Peter and (me/I) are going to the baseball game with Jon.** Remove Peter again (and change the verb “to be” from plural to singular), and you get: **(Me/I) am going to the baseball game with Jon.** Again, it’s easy. This time it’s “I”. Again, put Peter back to get: **Peter and I are going to the baseball game with John.** Edit: Damn ,beaten to it by **The Hamster King**. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/8 "2009-08-12T21:06:11Z")
That’s me, yelling at the TV: “Would you say ‘She gave the party hats to I’??!!? C’mon!” ::sputter ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/9 "2009-08-12T21:07:16Z")
And the whole overuse of “myself” thing is retarded, and i hate it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/10 "2009-08-12T21:07:52Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Fuck me! > > A lot of us have trouble deciding whether me or I is appropriate for any given sentence. There’s a general sense that I is more formal and thus usually the right choice. I know that’s not true but I’ve never been clear on the rules. We’re used to using it wrong. > The myself thing is the same, but about ten times more obvious and obnoxious. People bust that one out to sound regal and important, and it fails badly. If you have “…and I” confusion, the test is very easy. Just see which one sounds correct when you remove the other people from the list: “Sally gave the thing to I.” No way that’s right. “Sally gave the thing to me.” Ah-ha! “I am going to the store.” That sounds OK. “Me am going to the store.” Super wrongo. Thus, the sentences “Sally gave the thing to Bob and me” and “Bob and I are going to the store” are correct. “Myself” can be more tricky, so here’s the trick. “Myself” is a _reflexive_ pronoun. Think of the word _reflection_. A reflexive pronoun is used when you need to refer to the same person twice. “Give the stuff to me.” Regular pronoun. “I am giving this to myself.” Reflexive pronoun. The “myself” reflects the “I.” Similarly, “she is getting a dress for herself,” “Bob is driving himself to work,” “The protesters are setting themselves on fire.” In all these cases, the reflexive pronoun refers to another pronoun which is being verbed upon. If you only have one pronoun in a sentence, chances are very good that you don’t want a reflexive one. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/11 "2009-08-12T21:08:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > … I know that’s not true but I’ve never been clear on the rules… I in the subject, me in the predicate. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/12 "2009-08-12T21:16:51Z")
I think it would be helpful to myself if people posted some examples. … Excuse me, I’m going to gouge my eyes out now. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/13 "2009-08-12T21:20:52Z")
😛 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/14 "2009-08-12T21:21:10Z")
So now that the same little trick has been given 108 times to help people remember the rules, I’ll share another thing that chaps my hide. Swear to Jebus, I’ve heard people use the word “I’s.” I’m sorry, but the possessive form of “I” is “my,” you goddamned preschoolers! I often hear this in the middle of a sentence, and it infuriates me. Example: “So Bob and I’s friend got arrested last night.” Bob and _I’s_?! You goddamn cretin, “I’s” is not a word! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/15 "2009-08-12T21:27:49Z")
God, don’t remind me of the hideousness that is “I’s”! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/16 "2009-08-12T21:30:36Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > So now that the same little trick has been given 108 times to help people remember the rules, I’ll share another thing that chaps my hide. > > Swear to Jebus, I’ve heard people use the word “I’s.” I’m sorry, but the possessive form of “I” is “my,” you goddamned preschoolers! I often hear this in the middle of a sentence, and it infuriates me. Example: “So Bob and I’s friend got arrested last night.” Bob and _I’s_?! You goddamn cretin, “I’s” is not a word! Sure it is. “I see things with my I’s.” And while nobody uses “me” and “I” correctly, I’ve never noticed abuse of “myself”. (Well, except in the privacy of my own home.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/17 "2009-08-12T21:34:37Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > And while nobody uses “me” and “I” correctly, I’ve never noticed abuse of “myself”. (Well, except in the privacy of my own home.) If you’re a sports fan, listen to an interview with any random pro athlete and it’s likely to pop up. Most of them seem to believe they’re the King of England. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/18 "2009-08-12T21:48:09Z")
Y’know, myself is just happy to be here and hope myself can help the ballclub. Myself just want to give it my best shot and good Lord willing, things’ll work out…gotta play 'em one day at a time, Y’know… ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/19 "2009-08-12T21:52:32Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > So now that the same little trick has been given 108 times to help people remember the rules, I’ll share another thing that chaps my hide. > > Swear to Jebus, I’ve heard people use the word “I’s.” I’m sorry, but the possessive form of “I” is “my,” you goddamned preschoolers! I often hear this in the middle of a sentence, and it infuriates me. Example: “So Bob and I’s friend got arrested last night.” Bob and _I’s_?! You goddamn cretin, “I’s” is not a word! I know what you mean, but I understand why they do it. It’s a lot more confusing than knowing when to use I/me since you throw the possessive into it. Quick, everyone, post 108 examples of how to figure it out! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220/20 "2009-08-12T22:20:37Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That makes it really easy in written or typed form. Spoken, it’s a little harder to work it out on the fly. It is, but then everyone makes the odd mistake when speaking. Once you know which is right, though, it’s surprising how quickly it becomes a natural part of your speech. I had to teach myself in exactly that way, and now me hardly ever go wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-is-not-a-dirty-word/506220.md?page=2)