Thread: he is taller than...

...than me? than I? than I am?
I got so confused, I've heard different versions from different people and I have no idea which one is correct anymore, although I have to admit that "than I" sounds pretty weird to me

Originally Posted by kamka

...than me? than I? than I am?
I got so confused, I've heard different versions from different people and I have no idea which one is correct anymore, although I have to admit that "than I" sounds pretty weird to me

"He is taller than me" is what most people say. "He is taller than I am" is also correct.

Maybe some grammar book will have "He is taller than I", but no one says this.

Just a word about contractions, even though you didn't ask. We almost always say "He's taller than me" unless we are being very formal for some reason. Also, you can NEVER end a sentence with that type of contraction.

A: Who is taller, you or Fred?
B: He's. (incorrect)
Here you MUST say "He is" or "Fred is"

You CAN end a sentence with a negative contraction like isn't or can't.

thank you

and yes, I knew about the contractions at the end of the sentence, but thanks anyway

Originally Posted by kamka

thank you

and yes, I knew about the contractions at the end of the sentence, but thanks anyway

Lots of English learners have trouble with contractions, so I thought I'd add that in. Maybe someone else will learn something. I hope I didn't insult your intelligence.

Originally Posted by paulb

Lots of English learners have trouble with contractions, so I thought I'd add that in. Maybe someone else will learn something. I hope I didn't insult your intelligence.

nah, not at all I'm greatful for any remarks concerning the English language, as I still have got soooo much to learn
Besides, I'm of the opinion that's it's better to repeat something too much, than too little, especially when it comes to grammar (ok, the sentence sounds clumsy, hope you understood what I meant nevertheless)

People generally don't say "He is taller than I" because they have poor grammar.

"He is taller than me" grammatically makes no sense - but people use it all the time. In fact they use it more than the correct construction.

The reason you use "I," as you do in most languages, is because the sentence is really "He is taller than I am." Often times it is shortened to "He is taller than I" - and for some reason people aren't used to saying that.

In general, most people don't end a sentence with "I" or even use it unless it is the subject of the sentence.

Good rule is to just complete the sentence. People will incorrectly but often say"He is a better singer than me" when they should say "he is a better singer than I." You are always safe to just say "he is a better singer than I am."

Oh, something funny. I was watching TV and this dumb person said, "My sister and me went...oh, I mean: I and my sister went..." I guess the latter is a bit closer...

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

People generally don't say "He is taller than I" because they have poor grammar.

"He is taller than me" grammatically makes no sense - but people use it all the time. In fact they use it more than the correct construction.

The reason you use "I," as you do in most languages, is because the sentence is really "He is taller than I am." Often times it is shortened to "He is taller than I" - and for some reason people aren't used to saying that.

In general, most people don't end a sentence with "I" or even use it unless it is the subject of the sentence.

Good rule is to just complete the sentence. People will incorrectly but often say"He is a better singer than me" when they should say "he is a better singer than I." You are always safe to just say "he is a better singer than I am."

Oh, something funny. I was watching TV and this dumb person said, "My sister and me went...oh, I mean: I and my sister went..." I guess the latter is a bit closer...

You seem to be laboring under the illusion that there are absolute rules for grammar aside from actual usage. If the forum readers want to learn English the way it is spoken by actual English speakers, then we'll have to ignore the "rules" from time to time.

If someone, when speaking to an American, said "He is taller than I" it would sound funny because that is not common usage. If you add "am" at then end then it's fine, of course.

Originally Posted by paulb

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

People generally don't say "He is taller than I" because they have poor grammar.
..

You seem to be laboring under the illusion that there are absolute rules for grammar aside from actual usage. If the forum readers want to learn English the way it is spoken by actual English speakers, then we'll have to ignore the "rules" from time to time.

If someone, when speaking to an American, said "He is taller than I" it would sound funny because that is not common usage. If you add "am" at then end then it's fine, of course.

Very true. It's good to know the rules so that you know what you are doing if you have to break them, and break them you shall, at least from time to time.

No one says "than I" unless they want to sound somewhat pretentious, or they don't mind being known as a grammar nazi. It's the same with, "It is I," and similar constructions. It may have been a hard and fast grammar rule in the past, but it doesn't sound "right" to talk that way, and it's not just an American thing, either -- it applies to all English speaking countries.

Originally Posted by paulb

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

People generally don't say "He is taller than I" because they have poor grammar.

"He is taller than me" grammatically makes no sense - but people use it all the time. In fact they use it more than the correct construction.

The reason you use "I," as you do in most languages, is because the sentence is really "He is taller than I am." Often times it is shortened to "He is taller than I" - and for some reason people aren't used to saying that.

In general, most people don't end a sentence with "I" or even use it unless it is the subject of the sentence.

Good rule is to just complete the sentence. People will incorrectly but often say"He is a better singer than me" when they should say "he is a better singer than I." You are always safe to just say "he is a better singer than I am."

Oh, something funny. I was watching TV and this dumb person said, "My sister and me went...oh, I mean: I and my sister went..." I guess the latter is a bit closer...

You seem to be laboring under the illusion that there are absolute rules for grammar aside from actual usage. If the forum readers want to learn English the way it is spoken by actual English speakers, then we'll have to ignore the "rules" from time to time.

If someone, when speaking to an American, said "He is taller than I" it would sound funny because that is not common usage. If you add "am" at then end then it's fine, of course.

There are absolute grammar rules, but in everyday speech they are frequently broken, nevertheless they do exist. Languages are in a constant stage of evolution, so lots of grammar rules are outdated. One also has to remember that the way we look at society, class, and everything has changed dramatically in the past 100 years. Today being upper class / posh doesn't necessarily mean better, when in the past it did, therefore in the past speaking correctly was a sign of being a better person (socially).

It is important for languages to have grammar rules, not to freeze the language in a set form, but it to prevent the language from changing too quickly. Imagine if teachers took the view: "Write what you want, say what you want, spell words the way you want, irrespective of the set rules".

Kids would end up writing and spelling in lots of different ways, colloquial slang and such would develop to such a point, English (for example) would fraction and cease to exist as one language, as it is now. With grammar rules changes will still exist but at least some sort of uniformity remains.

Anyway, in this context I've never said "He is taller than I", but I know that it is the "proper grammatical way" and I can write it, or could use it if I needed to.

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Originally Posted by paulb

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

People generally don't say "He is taller than I" because they have poor grammar.
..

You seem to be laboring under the illusion that there are absolute rules for grammar aside from actual usage. If the forum readers want to learn English the way it is spoken by actual English speakers, then we'll have to ignore the "rules" from time to time.

If someone, when speaking to an American, said "He is taller than I" it would sound funny because that is not common usage. If you add "am" at then end then it's fine, of course.

Very true. It's good to know the rules so that you know what you are doing if you have to break them, and break them you shall, at least from time to time.

No one says "than I" unless they want to sound somewhat pretentious, or they don't mind being known as a grammar nazi. It's the same with, "It is I," and similar constructions. It may have been a hard and fast grammar rule in the past, but it doesn't sound "right" to talk that way, and it's not just an American thing, either -- it applies to all English speaking countries.

Can people stop making huge generalisations please. I live in England, we invented English, by the way, and most people here do say "He is taller than me" like in America, but we do still have a lot of (generally) more upper class people who do say "than I" and you can't accuse them of being pretentious or a grammar Nazi just because their parents had the audacity to teach them, what is after all, the correct way to speak. You attack the extreme view that "everyone must speak 100% perfectly grammatical English" with the extreme view that "no one should use these rules and anyone who does is an idiot" and almost suggest that it is actually wrong to use them.

He is taller than me am...
Me went to the store...

Think a complete sentence or partial.

Fortunately for English-speaking Americans, we now have our own official variation on the language: American English.

So I can say 'he is taller than me' and still be grammatically correct? - Of course you can...in America.

Originally Posted by TATY

Can people stop making huge generalisations please. I live in England, we invented English, by the way, and most people here do say "He is taller than me" like in America, but we do still have a lot of (generally) more upper class people who do say "than I" and you can't accuse them of being pretentious or a grammar Nazi just because their parents had the audacity to teach them, what is after all, the correct way to speak. You attack the extreme view that "everyone must speak 100% perfectly grammatical English" with the extreme view that "no one should use these rules and anyone who does is an idiot" and almost suggest that it is actually wrong to use them.

Ooo, teddy's out the cot!

Originally Posted by xRoosterx

Fortunately for English-speaking Americans, we now have our own official variation on the language: American English.

So I can say 'he is taller than me' and still be grammatically correct? - Of course you can...in America.

It's perfectably acceptable to say it in British English, all I was saying is just because it is now acceptable to say "He is taller than me" or "who did you see" it doesn't mean saying the old-fashioned "He is taller than I", or "whom did you see", are no longer acceptable.

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Originally Posted by TATY

Can people stop making huge generalisations please. I live in England, we invented English, by the way, and most people here do say "He is taller than me" like in America, but we do still have a lot of (generally) more upper class people who do say "than I" and you can't accuse them of being pretentious or a grammar Nazi just because their parents had the audacity to teach them, what is after all, the correct way to speak. You attack the extreme view that "everyone must speak 100% perfectly grammatical English" with the extreme view that "no one should use these rules and anyone who does is an idiot" and almost suggest that it is actually wrong to use them.

Ooo, teddy's out the cot!

Next time you are accusing someone of being a grammar Nazi, make sure it's not a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Originally Posted by TATY

Next time you are accusing someone of being a grammar Nazi, make sure it's not a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Yes, ma'am! May I have another?

Look, I don't know what's got you so upset, but I can't believe that you read my post carefully and came to the conclusion that I was accusing anyone of anything. In fact, I was sure that you quoted me by mistake, and really meant someone else. For the record, I don't disagree with anything you've said. However, I must ask you to please refrain from composing false quotations in your posts and attributing them to me. It's bad netiquette.

There, I split an infinitive, and I'm proud of it!

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Originally Posted by TATY

Next time you are accusing someone of being a grammar Nazi, make sure it's not a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Yes, ma'am! May I have another?

Look, I don't know what's got you so upset, but I can't believe that you read my post carefully and came to the conclusion that I was accusing anyone of anything. In fact, I was sure that you quoted me by mistake, and really meant someone else. For the record, I don't disagree with anything you've said. However, I must ask you to please refrain from composing false quotations in your posts and attributing them to me. It's bad netiquette.

There, I split an infinitive, and I'm proud of it!

You said this:

No one says "than I" unless they want to sound somewhat pretentious, or they don't mind being known as a grammar nazi. It's the same with, "It is I," and similar constructions. It may have been a hard and fast grammar rule in the past, but it doesn't sound "right" to talk that way, and it's not just an American thing, either -- it applies to all English speaking countries.

I don't think grammar nazi is the best term. After all, have you taken to ever reading Mein Kampf?

Grammar Nazi actually is the proper term We make light of such things to shield us from the past pain.

Well, then. I guess I AM a pretentious, grammar Nazi - and American.

I mean, if you are going to learn the language, you may as well learn it the proper way.

Otherwise there will be complete and utter chaos on our looseleaf paper.

"Him better then me." Count the errors!

P.S. I haven't said "looseleaf paper" in over four years!

Originally Posted by TATY

Originally Posted by Matroskin Kot

Originally Posted by TATY

You said this:

No one says "than I" unless they want to sound somewhat pretentious, or they don't mind being known as a grammar nazi. It's the same with, "It is I," and similar constructions. It may have been a hard and fast grammar rule in the past, but it doesn't sound "right" to talk that way, and it's not just an American thing, either -- it applies to all English speaking countries.

OK, I appear to have said that a person might "sound somewhat pretentious" and become "known as a grammar Nazi" if they make a point of saying "than I". I'm not sure what you can find fault with. I still think it's true. Notice that I didn't call anybody a grammar Nazi, or say that you are pretentious if you do it -- just that you might be judged that way.

Do you object to my generalization about "English speaking countries"? You said yourself that it was true in Great Britain, as well, so what's the problem? My point was that it wasn't a AmE/BrE issue, but that it was a general rule that applies most anywhere. Is that not a fact?