在英語(yǔ)傳統(tǒng)語(yǔ)法中,me是第一人稱單數(shù)I的賓格形式,在句中一般作動(dòng)詞(或介詞)的賓語(yǔ)。例如:
Please help me.
The letter is addressed to me.
隨著英語(yǔ)的發(fā)展,一些曾經(jīng)被認(rèn)為是不符合語(yǔ)法規(guī)則的me的用法,現(xiàn)在已被人們認(rèn)可了。另外,me還用于復(fù)合詞中。以下就是me的一些“特殊”用法:
1.在非正式書面語(yǔ)或口語(yǔ)里,常用me代替主格形式的I;這種用法越來(lái)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.
著名語(yǔ)言學(xué)家周海中(其筆名為“周求知”)在1982年發(fā)表的《英語(yǔ)代詞Me的一些用法》一文中指出:在分裂句(the cleft sentence)中,me后面的關(guān)系代詞who/that一般不可省略;從句中的謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞一般要用第三人稱單數(shù)(見(jiàn)上面后兩例)。
順便一提的是,在無(wú)謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞的省略句中也常用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?tīng)钫Z(yǔ)從句中,正式場(chǎng)合常用I,非正式場(chǎng)合或口語(yǔ)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.
著名語(yǔ)言學(xué)家夸克(R. Quirk)等人在1985年出版的《英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法大全》一書中認(rèn)為:用賓格形式me時(shí),than、as和but是當(dāng)作介詞,而不是當(dāng)作從屬連詞看待的。
3.在非正式英語(yǔ)或口語(yǔ)里,me可代替所有格的my,在句中作定語(yǔ)。例如:
I'll go to see me old friend.
It's me mother who's having it.
當(dāng)me代替my時(shí),它還可作V-ing分詞的邏輯主語(yǔ)(即使在正式英語(yǔ)里,若句子較長(zhǎng)時(shí),為了讀起來(lái)流利順口,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;同時(shí),當(dāng)V-ing分詞是being時(shí),最好還是用所有格的my:
Please excuse my being late.
值得一提的是,英國(guó)人常說(shuō)My foot!而美國(guó)人常說(shuō)Me foot!
4.在分詞的獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu)中,me可代替主格形式的I,作邏輯主語(yǔ)。例如:
They drove very fast, me left far behind.
She lifted the boy, me helping, and carried him to a hospital.
5.在口語(yǔ)或方言中,me可代替反身代詞myself;這是古英語(yǔ)用法的遺留,目前主要見(jiàn)于美國(guó)英語(yǔ)。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語(yǔ)或同位語(yǔ)。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.
7.一些感嘆詞與me連用,通常表示不愉快或不幸,如驚訝、害怕、煩惱、痛苦或其他激動(dòng)情緒。例如:
Ah me!
Bless me!
Dear me!
Goodness me!
Poor me!
8.Me用于復(fù)合詞let-me-down(掃興)、touch-me-not(鳳仙花)、pick-me-up(興奮劑)等。這類復(fù)合詞的含義一般可從其包含的成分推斷出來(lái),同時(shí)習(xí)慣用連字號(hào)。例如:
John stopped at a drugstore for a pick-me-up after working three hours overtime.
9.Me有時(shí)是為了加強(qiáng)語(yǔ)氣,使文字描寫更為生動(dòng);它有時(shí)只是為了充實(shí)句子結(jié)構(gòu),其本身并無(wú)實(shí)意。例如:
I'm not going today, me.
Me, I like fighting, too.
He enters me his name in the book.
Give me your present to her mother.
上面后兩例中的me可去掉,并不影響句子的結(jié)構(gòu)和意義。