Hi Zeev:
The "It is I -- It is me" situation is another cumbersome problem in our language. A purist would say, "It is I." Grammatically this is correct, since "is" is a linking verb and must take a predicate nominative case (I) rather than an objective or accusative case (me) after it.
BUT, in our spoken language, we have essentially adopted what is in French, for example, a disjunctive pronoun use. No frenchman would say "C'est je" for example rather that the correct "c'est moi". (Apologies to those without French background). In English vernacular, as opposed to our formal written language, we often hear "It's me", and the grammatically correct "It's I" has come to sound stilted or stuffy in most circumstances. Here's an example of a colloquial exchange between two friends:
John: "Hey, Charlie, was that you I saw at the game last night?"
Charlie: "Yeah, John, that was me."
The "correct" form "...that was I..." just doesn't quite work here.
Indeed, our language is changing. Many of the grammatically correct forms were thought up by those with classical Greek and Latin training and more or less forced on English. Certainly Shakespeare and Chaucer are full of usages which are today thought "incorrect" including double negatives and archaic participles (For you have but mistook me all this while) now thought used only by the illiterate.
But there are still plenty of terrible English grammar mistakes heard every day. They produce that "fingernail on the blackboard" sensation in those of interested in these things. I could go on, but will stop for now. Best regards, Zeev.
Jack |
