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Usenet Posted 19 years ago
Usage
"I am he"
I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is she" than "this is her", and yet every other "two-sided" verb I can think of takes one subject and one object.
Suppose I reverse my first example, in which the two pronouns have different inflections: "he is I" and "he am I" both sound wrong (or at least archaic), but "he is me" seems to break whatever rule insists on "I am he" the other way round.
What is the precise rule here? Also, is there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb?
Eq.
Suppose I reverse my first example, in which the two pronouns have different inflections: "he is I" and "he am I" both sound wrong (or at least archaic), but "he is me" seems to break whatever rule insists on "I am he" the other way round.
What is the precise rule here? Also, is there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb?
Eq.
Top answer
g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is ... other way round.
- g.
- "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is ...
- other way round.
- What is the precise rule here?
- [/nq] I am He as You are He as You are Me And We are all together John Dean Oxford
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24 Answers
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[nq:1]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is ... other way round. What is the precise rule here? Also, is there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb?[/nq]
I am He as You are He as You are Me
And We are all together
John Dean
Oxford
I am He as You are He as You are Me
And We are all together
John Dean
Oxford
00
[nq:2]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. ... is there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb?[/nq]
[nq:1]I am He as You are He as You are Me And We are all together[/nq]
Personally, at bathtime I'm beginning to think I must be the walrus.
Paul, it's a perennial problem, often discussed here. First, the verb "to be" doesn't have an object, because it doesn't
[nq:1]I am He as You are He as You are Me And We are all together[/nq]
Personally, at bathtime I'm beginning to think I must be the walrus.
Paul, it's a perennial problem, often discussed here. First, the verb "to be" doesn't have an object, because it doesn't
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[nq:1]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is she" than "this is her", and yet every other "two-sided" verb I can think of takes one subject and one object.[/nq]
The condition of the pronoun or noun after the verb "be" is known as the "predicate nominative" or "predicate noun".
The personal pronoun of identity takes the subjective form,
The condition of the pronoun or noun after the verb "be" is known as the "predicate nominative" or "predicate noun".
The personal pronoun of identity takes the subjective form,
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[nq:1]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is ... way round. What is the precise rule here? Also, is there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb? Eq.[/nq]
For me the rule is to play it by ear.
Another example: I be he.
Jim
For me the rule is to play it by ear.
Another example: I be he.
Jim
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[nq:1]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. "I am he" than "I am him", or "this is she" than "this is her", and yet every other "two-sided" verb I can think of takes one subject and one object.[/nq]
But he and she are not the objects here. "This" is not doing an action on "she", it's only saying that the two are the same. "Is" is more like an equals sign. That's why both shoudl
But he and she are not the objects here. "This" is not doing an action on "she", it's only saying that the two are the same. "Is" is more like an equals sign. That's why both shoudl
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[nq:1]That's why both shoudl be in the nominative case. [/nq]
The fact that educated native speakers commonly say and write "It's me" and "It's hard for my husband and I to understand" and "Smith, whom police believe is responsible for the break-ins..." is good evidence that there is no grammatical case in English any more, not in the pronouns and certainly not anywhere else.
Grammar "rule
The fact that educated native speakers commonly say and write "It's me" and "It's hard for my husband and I to understand" and "Smith, whom police believe is responsible for the break-ins..." is good evidence that there is no grammatical case in English any more, not in the pronouns and certainly not anywhere else.
Grammar "rule
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[nq:2]That's why both shoudl be in the nominative case. [/nq]
[nq:1]The fact that educated native speakers commonly say and write "It's me" and "It's hard for my husband and I to understand"[/nq]
This second one is hideous. It's initially committed by people who were criticized for saying "It's me", so they resolved to avoid "me". So now they say "me" where "I" belongs. It shows either how
[nq:1]The fact that educated native speakers commonly say and write "It's me" and "It's hard for my husband and I to understand"[/nq]
This second one is hideous. It's initially committed by people who were criticized for saying "It's me", so they resolved to avoid "me". So now they say "me" where "I" belongs. It shows either how
00
[nq:2]The fact that educated native speakers commonly say and write "It's me" and "It's hard for my husband and I to understand"[/nq]
[nq:1]This second one is hideous. It's initially committed by people who were criticized for saying "It's me", so they resolved ... people paid attention in school, how little they are able to understand, or possibly how bad their English classes were.[/nq]
[nq:1]This second one is hideous. It's initially committed by people who were criticized for saying "It's me", so they resolved ... people paid attention in school, how little they are able to understand, or possibly how bad their English classes were.[/nq]
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[nq:2]I gather it is more grammatically correct to say e.g. ... there a term for this "objectlessness" of a verb? Eq.[/nq]
[nq:1]For me the rule is to play it by ear. Another example: I be he.[/nq]
Arr, matey! That ye be!
John "Out, black spot" Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]For me the rule is to play it by ear. Another example: I be he.[/nq]
Arr, matey! That ye be!
John "Out, black spot" Dean
Oxford
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[nq:2]For me the rule is to play it by ear. Another example: I be he.[/nq]
[nq:1]Arr, matey! That ye be![/nq]
Fee Fi Fo Fin!
I smell the blud of an Englishmin!
Be he fat or be he thin,
I'll grind his bones to make my din!
[nq:1]Arr, matey! That ye be![/nq]
Fee Fi Fo Fin!
I smell the blud of an Englishmin!
Be he fat or be he thin,
I'll grind his bones to make my din!
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