加载中…"Me neither" or "me either"?
(2013-05-05 10:43:53)
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"Me neither" or "me either"?
作者：本真
http://s4/mw690/638e6735g7c64b6944b88&690neither" or "me either"?" TITLE=""Me neither" or "me either"?" />
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-- in everyday informal speech "Me neither" is often the best
choice.
It is true that for FORMAL usage, you would be expected to say something like "Neither do I" or "Nor I".
But for INFORMAL/COLLOQUIAL --everyday!--
To start with, it does not matter at all that it is a "sentence fragment". Simple positive or negative responses are commonly 'incomplete sentences', even in formal use -- examples: "Yes!" and even "Nor I". In fact, omitting a verb is not unusual in ordinary conversation. If the verb is implied (as when it has just been used), it does not always need to be (re)stated.
The main issue people have is with the use of "ME".
Observation - You are generally supposed to use "I" as the subject (the one who is doing the action), and "me" for the object (the one receiving the action, often after a preposition). - "I gave it to him". "He gave it to ME"
But it has long been acceptable spoken English to use "me" in certain places where strict, formal grammar requires, or supposedly requires "I". The most common example is when answering the question "Who's there?" Some grammarians insist that you must say "It is I". But in most SPOKEN English you will here "It's me" or simply "Me!" And it is NOT considered vulgar or lower class except by certain grammar snobs. (There's also a fairly solid grammatical explanation for why "It's me" works... but I don't want to get too far off track!)
In fact, it seems that "ME" is commonly used for EMPHASIS, even when it's the subject/actor you are emphasizing -- especially if you speak WITHOUT using a verb. Thus, when you are giving a ONE-word answer (to "Who's there"? or "Who made this mess") and NOT using a verb, you simply say "ME". Note that goes for ALL the pronouns "Him" "Her" "Us" all work the same way. "Me neither" (no verb!!) follows the same pattern.
As for "NEITHER" vs. "EITHER" -- generally, I'd encourage you to say "neither".
Suppose your friend says "I didn't like that movie" or "I don't want to go home yet". Your response could be the formal "Nor I"/"Neither do I". But colloquial usage would often be either "I don't either" OR the simple "Me neither".
The point is this. Since you are communicating a NEGATIVE idea, you should include a negative form. "Neither do I", "Nor do I", "Nor I", "I don't* either" and "Me neither" ALL do so. So does another alternative that may help this discussion -- "Not me, either." (This last form, however, is a bit more likely to be used when me IS the object.)
So what about "me either"? Well, you do now find that form in American English. Though I do not recommend it, I would not worry about it too much. I believe it began as an abbreviated form of "Not me, either".
In any case, when someone uses that form, it is CLEAR that they are AGREEING with the negative of the person they are answering, so there is no confusion about the meaning. (That's why, though I don't recommend it, I don't worry about it either.)
It is true that for FORMAL usage, you would be expected to say something like "Neither do I" or "Nor I".
But for INFORMAL/COLLOQUIAL --everyday!--
To start with, it does not matter at all that it is a "sentence fragment". Simple positive or negative responses are commonly 'incomplete sentences', even in formal use -- examples: "Yes!" and even "Nor I". In fact, omitting a verb is not unusual in ordinary conversation. If the verb is implied (as when it has just been used), it does not always need to be (re)stated.
The main issue people have is with the use of "ME".
Observation - You are generally supposed to use "I" as the subject (the one who is doing the action), and "me" for the object (the one receiving the action, often after a preposition). - "I gave it to him". "He gave it to ME"
But it has long been acceptable spoken English to use "me" in certain places where strict, formal grammar requires, or supposedly requires "I". The most common example is when answering the question "Who's there?" Some grammarians insist that you must say "It is I". But in most SPOKEN English you will here "It's me" or simply "Me!" And it is NOT considered vulgar or lower class except by certain grammar snobs. (There's also a fairly solid grammatical explanation for why "It's me" works... but I don't want to get too far off track!)
In fact, it seems that "ME" is commonly used for EMPHASIS, even when it's the subject/actor you are emphasizing -- especially if you speak WITHOUT using a verb. Thus, when you are giving a ONE-word answer (to "Who's there"? or "Who made this mess") and NOT using a verb, you simply say "ME". Note that goes for ALL the pronouns "Him" "Her" "Us" all work the same way. "Me neither" (no verb!!) follows the same pattern.
As for "NEITHER" vs. "EITHER" -- generally, I'd encourage you to say "neither".
Suppose your friend says "I didn't like that movie" or "I don't want to go home yet". Your response could be the formal "Nor I"/"Neither do I". But colloquial usage would often be either "I don't either" OR the simple "Me neither".
The point is this. Since you are communicating a NEGATIVE idea, you should include a negative form. "Neither do I", "Nor do I", "Nor I", "I don't* either" and "Me neither" ALL do so. So does another alternative that may help this discussion -- "Not me, either." (This last form, however, is a bit more likely to be used when me IS the object.)
So what about "me either"? Well, you do now find that form in American English. Though I do not recommend it, I would not worry about it too much. I believe it began as an abbreviated form of "Not me, either".
In any case, when someone uses that form, it is CLEAR that they are AGREEING with the negative of the person they are answering, so there is no confusion about the meaning. (That's why, though I don't recommend it, I don't worry about it either.)
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