0

I tend to put "me" in front of sentences when I'm trying to set them apart from a previously said opinion or view.

Examples:

Me, I like pizza.

Me, I'm cold.

Is it okay to say it like that in a conversation? It was pointed out to me that it's weird and now I'm not sure if I took that from another language (it seems fine to do this in French...).

Edit: I think I could replace it with "As for me, ..."

Improve this question
3
  • 2
    This is a natural syntactic rule in English called "Left Dislocation". It can also occur with the object -- Him, I can't stand him. And there is a "Right Dislocation" to match: He really likes pizza, him.
    – John Lawler
    Oct 19, 2020 at 19:51
  • 2
    They do this a lot more in French than in English (and in fact, it's sometimes grammatically required in French), but we definitely do it in informal English, too. Is it natural? How often do you do it? I think most native English speakers only do it occasionally.
    – Peter Shor
    Oct 19, 2020 at 20:01
  • 3
    You can view it as: "Me? I'm cold."
    – Yosef Baskin
    Oct 19, 2020 at 23:00

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

I've never heard a native English speaker say this unless answering a question ("Who wants lunch?" "Me, I want lunch!"). I think it's fine to do what you do in Spanish too. Using "as for me,..." would work well, but it's unusual and formal (at least in my dialect). In informal speech, I would probably omit the "as" and just say, "For me,...".

Improve this answer
5
  • 3
    That way of speaking is common in a number of UK regional dialects, also 'me' at the end of declarations about oneself - e.g. I'm tired, me.
    – Michael Harvey
    Oct 19, 2020 at 19:52
  • I notice the BBC weather presenters like to say "It will be heavy, the rain."
    – Weather Vane
    Oct 19, 2020 at 19:58
  • They have to say that a lot at this time of year.
    – Michael Harvey
    Oct 19, 2020 at 21:33
  • @WeatherVane I've never noticed any of them do that. Maybe I'll have to listen more carefully.
    – BoldBen
    Oct 19, 2020 at 23:23
  • Brit Simon Whistler (host of numerous YouTube channels) does this almost constantly. It’s particularly jarring because it’s not in the script for the captions.
    – StephenS
    Nov 19, 2020 at 3:09
-1

This sort of reply is acceptable in the locution "me too" (Me too, I'm cold.) but otherwise it does not appear to be idiomatic. This is not found in print (ngram). "Me I am" yields just one result, the title of a book and this is probably not the expected syntax, a subject/verb inversion being necessary to understand the meaning (I am me).

Replacing "me" by "as for me" in this context will not do. "As for me" is fine in writing after an enumeration that can consist of just one element.

There are various ways to formulate this type of opposition.

1/ • Personally, I like pizza.

2/  • What's making me unconfortable is the cold. (possibly stressed "me")
      • What I can hardly bear is the cold. (possibly stressed "I")
      • Being cold is my problem. (stressed "cold")
      • The cold is my problem. (stressed "cold")

Improve this answer
2
  • The reference to me too may be misleading, because, in so far as such locutions can be heard, they seem to imply contrast, rather than conformity, with others.
    – jsw29
    Oct 19, 2020 at 21:49
  • How many times must one say it? Ngrams are for written English, not necessarily spoken English.
    – Lambie
    Mar 18, 2021 at 22:07

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.