Thread: It's me did it..

I think the question was answered on the first reply. But then, I am biased

Can someone confirm or rule out my hypothesis:

It (subject) was (verb) me (object) who did it.


It seems grammatical to me.

Скажи мне, что я прав. Если я не прав, то я съем свою шляпу.

basurero, you are correct:

me pron . . . 1. the speaker or writer: used to refer to the speaker or writer ( used as the object or complement of a verb or preposition )

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861628853/me.html

who pron . . . 2. introduces relative clause: used to introduce a relative clause giving information about a person or people

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861713004/who.html

Originally Posted by challenger

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I hate to get into this discussion, Challenger, but you can't say that the phrase "It wasn't me" isn't normal in everyday speech. I know grammatically one should be hanged, but it is still quite normal.

Well, as soon as we get into what's "normal," everything gets very subjective. I propose a poll! Anyways, because of the very subjectivity of it, I don't think it's a good idea to indiscriminately sanction everything that's "normal," especially for use by non-native speakers. In some circles, DDT's "Sure, I done gone and did that" may be "normal," but I'm sure you wouldn't recommend this phrase to dear Olya.

P.S. I'm really not trying to be a self-appointed grammar hitman, только приходится

i would recommend 'it was me who did it' as THE phrase to say to any and every non-native speaker, most certainly over 'it was I'.

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by challenger

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I hate to get into this discussion, Challenger, but you can't say that the phrase "It wasn't me" isn't normal in everyday speech. I know grammatically one should be hanged, but it is still quite normal.

Well, as soon as we get into what's "normal," everything gets very subjective. I propose a poll! Anyways, because of the very subjectivity of it, I don't think it's a good idea to indiscriminately sanction everything that's "normal," especially for use by non-native speakers. In some circles, DDT's "Sure, I done gone and did that" may be "normal," but I'm sure you wouldn't recommend this phrase to dear Olya.

P.S. I'm really not trying to be a self-appointed grammar hitman, только приходится

i would recommend 'it was me who did it' as THE phrase to say to any and every non-native speaker, most certainly over 'it was I'.

Of course, because "it was I" is grammatically incorrect, while "it was me" is correct.

Originally Posted by Оля

"It's me did it" is correct?

I'd like to say "Это я сделал (это)". I'd like to accentuate that it was exactly me, who did that...

It's not grammatically correct but you can use it in colloquial speech.Grammatically you can say:

It's me who did it or It's been done by me or if you want to emphasize that 'YOU did it' then you can say I myself did it.

Originally Posted by Оля

"It's me did it" is correct?

I'd like to say "Это я сделал (это)". I'd like to accentuate that it was exactly me, who did that...

It's not grammatically correct but you can use it in colloquial speech.Grammatically you can say:

It's me who did it or It's been done by me or if you want to emphasize that 'YOU did it' then you can say I myself did it.

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by challenger

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I hate to get into this discussion, Challenger, but you can't say that the phrase "It wasn't me" isn't normal in everyday speech. I know grammatically one should be hanged, but it is still quite normal.

Well, as soon as we get into what's "normal," everything gets very subjective. I propose a poll! Anyways, because of the very subjectivity of it, I don't think it's a good idea to indiscriminately sanction everything that's "normal," especially for use by non-native speakers. In some circles, DDT's "Sure, I done gone and did that" may be "normal," but I'm sure you wouldn't recommend this phrase to dear Olya.

P.S. I'm really not trying to be a self-appointed grammar hitman, только приходится

i would recommend 'it was me who did it' as THE phrase to say to any and every non-native speaker, most certainly over 'it was I'.

"It was me who did it" - accepted!

Originally Posted by basurero

Can someone confirm or rule out my hypothesis:

It (subject) was (verb) me (object) who did it.


It seems grammatical to me.

"To be" is an intransitive verb, and as such does not take an object. It may be followed by a predicate, however, which will be in the subjective case. The subjective case of the first person singular pronoun is "I." Acceptability of more colloquial forms aside, that's the technically correct grammar. End of story.

Originally Posted by Ken Watts

basurero, you are correct:

me pron . . . 1. the speaker or writer: used to refer to the speaker or writer ( used as the object or complement of a verb or preposition )

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861628853/me.html
[quote:ab4vndyg]who pron . . . 2. introduces relative clause: used to introduce a relative clause giving information about a person or people

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861713004/who.html[/quote:ab4vndyg]

Opposing views:

"The complement with am, are, is, &c., should be subjective." ( http://www.bartleby.com/116/201.html )

"subject complements must always be in the nominative (subject) case" ( http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/case.html )

"A pronoun should be in the subjective case if it functions as subject or subject complement" ( http://www.tacomacc.edu/upload/files/ac ... onouns.doc )

"Use the subjective case for subjects and subject complements" ( http://edisk.fandm.edu/wri/pronouncases.pdf )

Originally Posted by challenger

Originally Posted by basurero

Can someone confirm or rule out my hypothesis:

It (subject) was (verb) me (object) who did it.


It seems grammatical to me.

"To be" is an intransitive verb, and as such does not take an object. It may be followed by a predicate, however, which will be in the subjective case. The subjective case of the first person singular pronoun is "I." Acceptability of more colloquial forms aside, that's the technically correct grammar. End of story.

Well, it don't make me no nevermind nohow