I/Me function in brackets.
I recently came across a construction about which I’m unsure, as the construction makes the functions of the individual parts a bit unclear.
The sentence is, “Social players (and even me!) would be interested to know people’s birthdays.”
I contended that the text within the parentheses should be corrected to “(and even I)” considering one would not say “Me would be interested.” However, I was told that, in the above sentence, “and even me” functions like “you and me.”
I don’t see how that applies. Which is the correct construction, and why?
john.christianson
February 9, 2006, 8:56pm
In response to Joe's suggestion, "myself" is a reflexive pronoun as in "I like myself." I was taught that it should never be used as a subject of a verb.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Sara (unregistered)
January 26, 2006, 3:53pm
"Social players" or any other substitute for these words will always be the subject of this sentence -- no matter what. The subject is in the nominative form, so if we replace "social players" with the nominative form of "me," we use "I." "I would be interested to know people's birthdays."
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Joe (unregistered)
January 25, 2006, 12:23pm
Another alternative would be to replace the incorrect "and even me" with "myself included." The only problem is that it would create the impression that the speaker is one of the "social players" (which may or may not be true).
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
mikeywalsh
January 4, 2006, 10:14pm
How can there be any argument, to this question!?
It's very simple to know where 'I' and 'Me' should be used. All you do, is complete the sentence, thus;
"Social players would be interested to know people's birthdays, and so would I!"
'Social players (and even me) would?'
Is this a joke?
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
jon
January 3, 2006, 8:00pm
I third that opinion.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
porsche
January 3, 2006, 4:57pm
I don't know why "even me" would mean the same as "you and me", but even if it did, it would be irrelevant because "you and I" would be the correct usage here. I agree with Helena; I not me.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
helena (unregistered)
January 3, 2006, 11:23am
In that case, "you and me" would also be incorrect.
The phrase "Social players" is the subject of the sentence, so whatever pronoun used would have to be in the nominative case, not the objective- I not me, we not us.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse