A friend and I were talking about food the other day, and he indicated that he doesn't care for cold soups. I said, "Me either", to which he responded that he'd usually say, "Me neither". What do you all say, and which is correct--er, less incorrect perhaps?
either, usually, I think.
Hmm, gazpacho, vichyssoise, borsht. Yum.
I don't either (pronounced eye-ther) or me neither (pronounced nee-ther). Hmmm, consistant I ain't.
Dear Jackie: I think the replies "Me either" or "Me neither"
are idioms, and so not susceptiable to grammar.
I did find a joke with your friend's version:
'Me neither'
Bob and Joe sat next to each other taking a test. When they
finished, the teacher called them up to the front of the room and said, "Boys, I will have to give both of you a zero on this test"
"W-why?" they wanted to know, though Joe was shifting uncomfortably.
She said, "Your answers were too nearly alike. One of you cheated and the other one let him do it."
"What makes you think we cheated?" Bob asked. "That could
have been a coincidence."
The teacher said, "I might have believed that if it wasn't for the fact that when you came to question #10, Bob wrote in 'I don't know' for the answer, and you, Joe, put 'Me neither'!"
I would say "Me neither" or "Neither do I". My mother would say, in her stilted English, "Me not either". But even she would not say, "Not either do I".
Seems like you oughta have a negative in there somewhere. 'I don't either.' 'Me neither.' Also the 'n' works as a nice little epenthetic cushion between the 'e' of 'me' and the 'ei' of 'either' (which I pronounce ee-ther). I wonder how many of us say 'me neye-ther'?
epenthetic cushionHey, we're not paying you to be a thinker, Faldage.
>we're not paying you to be a thinker, Faldage.
I think that putting a smiley on these doesn't much mask the Snideness Quotient.
The Lone Haranguer
snideness quotientNo snideness, snoot. It's an "in" joke. Faldage chiding me for being a "tinker", me chiding him for being a "thinker".
It seems of Troy is not the only "t-h-inker" around here.
I'm very partial to "epenthetic cushion" actually.
My admiration isn't even grudging.
The Lone HaranguerHey, I thought I was "the Lone Haranguer" around here.
Maybe we should team up ... Tonto?
I'd most likely say "neither do I" instead the ones your mention Jackie.
Given that the expression is ungrammatical in the first place, if pushed for casual purposes, I'd say, "Me neither," for "Neither do I" for the same reasons expressed in posts above.
I am reminded of the ancient joke told to me in 9th grade by one of my English teachers: Saint Peter has closed the Pearly gates (tm) for the night and is just about to retire when there comes a mighty banging asnd knocking. "Who's there," he asks. "It is I!" is the reply. "Oy, another goddam English teacher," says Saint Pete as he retires for the night.
"It is I!" is the reply. "Oy, another goddam English teacher," says Saint Pete as he retires for the night.
Yes, but you failed to finish the story, jheem.
The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast and choir rehearsals, Saint Peter admitted the not-yet-sufficiently-humbled english teacher.
He directed the english teacher to his room, stopping only to introduce him to the person in the room opposite, a lawyer in his former life.
The lawyer's room was palatial, furnished with every tasteful amenity. There was even a phone next to the bed for room service.
The english teacher then espied his own living quarters through the open door off the hallway. The room was drab and spartan, empty except for a cot.
The english teacher reeled in righteous indignation. "I am an english teacher and this is what you have for me! He's a lawyer. Look where he's living!"
"Yes", replied Saint Peter, unperturbed. "We have many english teachers up here. But we only have one lawyer."
i first heard that joke over 20 years ago, when the last pope died.. (and then it was wheels, not accomadations..)the newest pope was unhappy that his transport through heaven was a pair of roller blades.
and the comparison of hundreds of popes vs 1 lawyer was a good one!