在英语传统语法中,me是第一人称单数I的宾格形式,在句中一般作动词(或介词)的宾语。例如:
Please help me.
The letter is addressed to me.
随着英语的发展,一些曾经被认为是不符合语法规则的me的用法,现在已被人们认可了。另外,me还用于复合词中。以下就是me的一些“特殊”用法:
1.在非正式书面语或口语里,常用me代替主格形式的I;这种用法越来越普遍。例如:
A:Who's there? B:It's me.
He thought Richard to be me.
It's me who runs the school.
It isn't me that makes fun of him.
著名语言学家周海中(其笔名为“周求知”)在1982年发表的《英语代词Me的一些用法》一文中指出:在分裂句(the cleft sentence)中,me后面的关系代词who/that一般不可省略;从句中的谓语动词一般要用第三人称单数(见上面后两例)。
顺便一提的是,在无谓语动词的省略句中也常用me代替主格形式的I:
A:I like watching TV. B:Me, too.
A:Who wants a lift to the station? B:Me!
2.在以下状语从句中,正式场合常用I,非正式场合或口语里常用me。例如:
He runs faster than I/me.
You are as tall as I/me.
They will go but I/me.
著名语言学家夸克(R. Quirk)等人在1985年出版的《英语语法大全》一书中认为:用宾格形式me时,than、as和but是当作介词,而不是当作从属连词看待的。
3.在非正式英语或口语里,me可代替所有格的my,在句中作定语。例如:
I'll go to see me old friend.
It's me mother who's having it.
当me代替my时,它还可作V-ing分词的逻辑主语(即使在正式英语里,若句子较长时,为了读起来流利顺口,也常用me代替my):
He disapproved of me coming.
以上用法的me一般不位于句首;同时,当V-ing分词是being时,最好还是用所有格的my:
Please excuse my being late.
值得一提的是,英国人常说My foot!而美国人常说Me foot!
4.在分词的独立主格结构中,me可代替主格形式的I,作逻辑主语。例如:
They drove very fast, me left far behind.
She lifted the boy, me helping, and carried him to a hospital.
5.在口语或方言中,me可代替反身代词myself;这是古英语用法的遗留,目前主要见于美国英语。例如:
I laid me down.
I want to get me a car.
If I don't respect me, nobody else will.
6.以“…and me”或“me and…”的形式在句子中作主语或同位语。例如:
You and me know what we know, don't we?
Me and Jack were in the bar last night.
We study hard, me and my classmates.
Let's you and me get to work.
7.一些感叹词与me连用,通常表示不愉快或不幸,如惊讶、害怕、烦恼、痛苦或其他激动情绪。例如:
Ah me!
Goodness me!
Poor me!
8.Me用于复合词let-me-down(扫兴)、touch-me-not(凤仙花)、pick-me-up(兴奋剂)等。