# Me, Myself, and I

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 1999, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359 "1999-12-11T03:07:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![deus\_ex\_machina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@deus\_ex\_machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deus_ex_machina)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 1999, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/21 "1999-12-14T04:40:00Z")

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**LateComer** , I believe this is called the “narrative present.” It’s supposed to add a sense of immediacy to the account, but it’s desperately overused. The idea is that YOU ARE THERE. Agghh!

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**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 1999, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/22 "1999-12-15T04:04:00Z")

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I believe this is how it goes.  
You are using the correct word if the  
other person can be removed and the word makes sense. for example, “Moe and I are going to the mall.” : “I am going to the mall.”

and it would be correct to say “leave dave and me alone!” : “leave me alone!”

i dunno, really. but isn’t that what this  
discuccion group is all about?

* * *

_what is essential is invisible to the eye -the fox_

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**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 1999, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/23 "1999-12-15T04:11:00Z")

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But I feel like a snot if I use all four periods…

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**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 1999, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/24 "1999-12-15T07:24:00Z")

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Don’t forget to sace them properly. Otherwise . . . .

* * *

- 

The best lack all conviction  
The worst are full of passionate intensity.  
\*

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**Author:** ![KenP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c0e974/32.png) [@KenP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KenP)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 1999, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/25 "1999-12-15T16:19:00Z")

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Thanks for some good insights.

My question seemed to touch a nerve with some people (“KenP, why is that important to you? As long as the message gets across I think regional grammar use is excuseable.”). I didn’t intend to preach; I’m just interested in how language varies from place to place.

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/me-myself-and-i/5359/26 "1999-12-16T01:20:00Z")

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I’m a linguistics major and I know all about how descriptive grammar is the most important thing and how silly rules are not as important as the way people actually speak.

BUT.

“She was speaking to Bob and I”?

Claws on a chalkboard. I’m sorry.

BTW: A common feature of Quebec English is the construction “Me, I…”: using an extra expletive “me” at the beginning of the sentence. It precisely parallels the “Moi, je…” construction of Québécois French.

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