Treat “Me” With Respect
Well, the Democratic National Convention is history, and it boasted two sensational speeches by former President Barack Obama and Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden. This week we have the Republican National Convention to look forward to, or not. Meanwhile the COVID-10 continues its relentless assault on the world, wildfires are raging in California, and the post office is trying to stamp out its troubles.
After considering all of these problems, I decided to give my brain a bit of a rest and turn elsewhere for the subject of a commentary. And all I needed to do was bring to mind an e-mail I received, as you will see forthwith.
In my indefatigable, albeit realistically and sadly hopeless, war against improper grammar, I wish to address the constantly troublesome and consistently irritating copious misuse of the little word “me.” I can accept the fact that very young children use me instead of I as the subject of a sentence, but I cannot excuse the practice in any adult.
Just the other day I received an Email from a former student asking for clarification about whether or not it is permissible to write or say, “Me and Tom went to the game.” After sublimating my initial outrage that anyone I had taught would dare to ask such an offensively ignorant question, I dutifully and calmly addressed the issue.
HOLY HELL! OF COURSE IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO USE ME AS THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE!!!!!!
Just stop and think about this a moment. If we remove the conjunction and Tom from the sentence under consideration, we are left with the following illiterate statement: “Me went to the game.” Now this may shock the hell out of you, but I actually can offer an example of when such use of me was permissible.
Back in the 1940s and ’50s before political correctness was even a thought, “…the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early West.” Yes, astride his magnificent white horse Silver, the Lone Ranger thundered from one town to the next in the pursuit of justice. And always at his side was his faithful Indian (Native American today) companion Tonto, who often uttered sentences like the following: “You wait here, Kemosabe. Me go to town.” “Me hear horses coming, Kemosabe.”
Because that was some radio scriptwriter’s idea of the way Indians (Native Americans today) spoke back then, I have no problem with Tonto’s diction. In fact, it would have been ludicrous to hear Tonto say, “Please deign to remain where you are, Kemosabe, whilst I venture forth into town.”
Today, however, the rules of modern grammar dictate that the word “me” is solely the objective case and may not therefore be used as the subject of a sentence. Thus, the next time you hear someone say, “Me and Tom are going to the dance,” or anything resembling such a construction, do not hesitate to enlighten the poor, uneducated soul, unless, of course, the speaker happens to be Tonto.
Now I fully realize that there are those out there who believe grammar doesn’t matter today and that as long as the listener understands what the speaker means, effective communication occurs.
And to that I say simply, “Give I a break!”
