Grammar Mavens....... which one?

[swanmom]

Can anyone help? Which one of these is right?

"other students so unlike me" or "other students so unlike myself"

Thanks!

 

[m!ssemmx0]

I would think it's "other students, so unlike myself."

ETA: My gut feeling was "me"... I guess I shouldn't have changed it.

 

[laurie31]

Actually it's "me."

And I googled for support - lol.

Me, Myself, or I?
"In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, "The first person singular pronoun is I when it's a subject and me when it's an object,' but now few people know what that means. [. . .] The misuse of I and myself for me is caused by nervousness about me. [. . .] But the notion that there is something wrong with me leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say, 'The document had to be signed by both Susan and I' when the correct statement would be, 'The document had to be signed by both Susan and me.'

Trying even harder to avoid the lowly me, many people will substitute myself as in 'The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O'Leary and myself.' Myself is no better than I as an object. Myself is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of me or I . Use myself only when you have used I earlier in the same sentence: 'I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself'" (Brians, Common Errors in English Usage).

from: http://www.drgrammar.org/frequently-asked-questions#34

 

[NHdisneylover]

What is the entire sentence? Either could be correct depending on on what else is going with it.

 

[swanmom]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I see that the whole sentence might make a difference so here goes.

"I felt frightened by these students so unlike me."

OR

"I felt frightened by these students so unlike myself"


Help, please!

 

[monkeybug]

I'm no grammar maven, but I don't really like either.
It's hard to tell if you are frightened by the students because they area so unlike you, or if being frightened by the students is unlike you.
I would say something more like
"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike myself."
or
"I was frightened by these students, which is so unlike myself."
Depending of course on which point you are trying to make.
I'm sure there are more eloquent ways of writing it, that's just what popped into my head right away.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I'm no grammar maven, but I don't really like either.
It's hard to tell if you are frightened by the students because they area so unlike you, or if being frightened by the students is unlike you.
I would say something more like
"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike myself."
or
"I was frightened by these students, which is so unlike myself."
Depending of course on which point you are trying to make.
I'm sure there are more eloquent ways of writing it, that's just what popped into my head right away.

I had the exact same impression; the sentence is confusing as written.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm no grammar maven, but I don't really like either.
It's hard to tell if you are frightened by the students because they area so unlike you, or if being frightened by the students is unlike you.
I would say something more like
"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike myself."
or
"I was frightened by these students, which is so unlike myself."
Depending of course on which point you are trying to make.
I'm sure there are more eloquent ways of writing it, that's just what popped into my head right away.

Yes, this, except I'd use "me."

 

[swanmom]

Wow, I am actually really glad that I posted this. I had no idea that the sentence was so confusing and it is part of DD's application for scholarship money for college!

So, the intent is to say that she was frightened by students who were so different (not that it was unlike her to be frightened.)

So now which one -
"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike me."

OR

"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike myself."

Final answer?

Thanks!

 

[Robindianne]

Can anyone help? Which one of these is right?

"other students so unlike me" or "other students so unlike myself"

Thanks!

me.

 

[Robindianne]

me

Wow, I am actually really glad that I posted this. I had no idea that the sentence was so confusing and it is part of DD's application for scholarship money for college!

So, the intent is to say that she was frightened by students who were so different (not that it was unlike her to be frightened.)

So now which one -
"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike me."

OR

"I was frightened by these students, who were so unlike myself."

Final answer?

Thanks!

 

[RunningGirl]

me.

 

[si-am]

Me, and take out the comma.

 

[bballmom56]

Me, and take out the comma.

Ditto to both.

 

[MushyMushy]

I agree with those who say "WHO were so unlike me."

 

[FlightlessDuck]

"Myself" is a reflexive pronoun, and is used when the first person is both the subject and object of the sentence: "I fell down and hurt myself".

"Myself" can also be used as as intensive pronouns, when you want to emphasize something: "I painted that myself."

In this case, the pronoun is used in a phrase modifying "other students", which is the object of the sentence. "Me" should be used (although I guess you could argue "myself" was valid, maybe).

But, to be honest, I don't really like the structure of that sentence at all.

 

[Scurvy]

Me, and take out the comma.

I agree.