[Grammar] I have a very silly question...

[littlebaby]

hello everybody,

It has been a long time that I haven't logged in here...

I have a silly question:

Why do people say "I'm talking to myself", but not "I'm talking to me", or not "I'm talking to I"...

You know people say "I'm talking to her", so, why isn't it "I'm talking to me"?
And you know people say "I'm talking to Peter", so, why isn't it "I'm talking to I"?

I know "I'm talking to myself" is correct, but how are the above situations? Can anyone explain it to me? Many thanks.

 

[BobK]

The key word is 'reflexive'. Look that up. ;-)

b

 

[emsr2d2]

There are no silly questions. Well, OK, if you're a troll you make a point of writing silly pointless repetitive irritating questions, but that's not the case here.

Your first sentence should read "It has been a long time since I logged in here"

 

[TheParser]

Why do people say "I'm talking to myself", but not "I'm talking to me"

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, littlebaby:


Welcome back.

You have asked an excellent question.

This subject also confuses many of us ordinary native speakers, such as I (am). Really! ( = believe me!)

*****

I agree with BobK's excellent suggestion. I hope that you will check your books and the Web for reflexive pronouns.

If you have any questions, just ask them here. Oh, by the way, if you go to the top of this page, you will find the

"search" box. Just type in "reflexive pronouns," and you will find some helpful threads to study there, too.

*****

I have checked my books, and I have some ideas to share with you.

I am talking to myself.

What is the subject? Answer: I.
The rule is: if you want to refer to the subject again, you should use the reflexive pronoun in your particular sentence.

For example, look at this sentence:" I bought a sweater for ____."

Which word should I put in the blank space? I am sure that you answered "myself," for earlier in the sentence there is the word "I."

How about this?" He bought a sweater for ____. " Again, you probably answered "himself," for earlier in the sentence there is the word "he." BUT if you say, "He bought a sweater for him," that would mean that there were two guys.
In other words, TOM bought a sweater for JIM.

*****

Sometimes you hear native speakers say something like: "I'm going to buy me a new car." They probably should say, "I am going to buy myself a new car" or just "I am going to buy a new car."

*****

Well, as you can see, your question is NOT "silly." Learners and ordinary native speakers have to study very hard to

understand this matter. For example, sometimes after a preposition, we DO use "me." For example, "I have no money

with me (never: "myself"). Why? That would take a very long post to explain -- even if I could explain it!


HAVE A NICE DAY!

*****

George Oliver Curme, A Grammar of the English Language (1931), Vol. I, p. 157.
George Oliver Curme, A Grammar of the English Language (1931), Vol. II, p. 100.
Bruce L. Liles A Basic Grammar of Modern English (1979), p. 2.