I’m not happy with the copy editor of today’s issue of the Savannah Morning News. In addition to allowing Arlinda Smith Broady to get away with using an ampersand in SCAD’s name on the front page of Exchange, the editor allowed an improper use of “I” on the front page of Accent. In a short about her new column, Christine Lucas wrote, “It’s just that he’s got my husband and I a little bit Rattled.” I’ll overlook the random capitalization because that could be a typo. The use of “I” however is ignorance. She shouldn’t have written it, but the copy editor should have caught it.
I don’t understand why this is so hard. As I explained in an earlier post, “I” is a subject pronoun and “me” is an object pronoun.
If you are doing something to someone or something, use “I” because you are the subject. If something is being done to you, use “me” because you are the object.
People incorrectly use “I” all the time. Why is “me” so frightening?
Eddie can’t stand watching television with me sometimes because I will mutter the correct version. And then sigh loudly.
So let’s go over it again. Here are some examples: Eddie and I are watching television. Dominic and Gideon watched television with Eddie and me. I said, “Dominic, give the remote to your father and me.” Eddie said, “Gideon, you and I are going upstairs right now because you can’t sit still.”
When in doubt, leave it out. Then see if the sentence makes sense. So Christine Lucas’ sentence without the other person would be, “It’s just that he’s got my husband and I a little bit Rattled.” That’s certainly not right. So use “me” instead: “It’s just that he’s got my husband and I me a little bit Rattled.” THAT makes sense. So the sentence should read, “It’s just that he’s got my husband and me a little bit Rattled.”
Copy editors should know these kinds of things. Now all of you do too.
Observe and report 
This has become my biggest pet peeve lately…the I and me thing.
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It’s because it is so common. This and incorrect apostrophe usage.
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Also, do you realize who Christine Lucas is?
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A writer who needs to be more careful?
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I am always afraid to post a response to your web posts in case I use incorrect grammar. However I did learn my lesson on the ampersand.
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Don’t be afraid. I can’t remember anything egregious!
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It does drive me crazy to see it in a newspaper — and it should. But, in defense of this particular crew, the staff reductions have left no real copy desk.
Copy editors now are responsible for the page designs, editing and a few other duties on deadlines. That era of great editors who focus only on the words is gone for nearly every news organization, I’m afraid.
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Sad but true. Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on the copy editor for this issue. He/she is only human, and can only do so much. I’ll start focusing more attention on the writers who should know better.
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