One thread, two contradictory arguments....

OP: Hey, this quote from Harry Potter says "Harry is just as sane as you or I", is that a correct way of phrasing this?

Person one: Just take away the second person! Then you'll know what's correct!

Me: That's not relevant or useful here. Both "as X as I" and "as X as me" are correct.

Person one: Native speakers don't know their own language, you're so stupid. It's an object pronoun. "As I" is the only possible correct answer!

Me: Here is the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Merriam-Webster, and The Chicago Manual of Style. They all say that the only difference is formality. Both forms are correct.

Person one: No! Also, I didn't say that it was wrong in speech! Here are some links talking about object pronouns! You don't speak your own language!

Me: Uh, none of those are nearly as reputable as the ones I provided; also, only one of them mentions comparisons. That one says that we use the object pronoun when making comparisons. Did you think that I wouldn't read them, therefore, you didn't need to read them? I don't know why you would think that. The one thing I will never, ever do is lose a dumb internet argument because I didn't bother to read the material. At that point, why am I even bothering?

and then, in the thread right above that one, we have:

Person two: Just take away the second person! Then you'll know what's correct! It's just that simple!

Me: That's not relevant or useful here. Both "as X as I" and "as X as me" are correct.

Person two: As X as I can never ever be correct, dummy!

Me: Totally not where I thought you were going there. How can it be that simple if other people are saying the exact same words but coming to the exact opposite conclusion?

Person two: It is that simple, stupid!

Me: Okay. Well, here's three sources showing that it's not.

Person two: You're stupid! And ugly! And American!

Me: Well, you got one of those right, though I'm not exactly loving the context here. Oh, look, and now you're spamming this post with your inane "it's that simple" claim.

It is astonishing how the study of the English language can get some people so riled up and yet, so unbelievably unwilling to learn anything. And what's really astonishing is that, in both cases, they absolutely started it. You'd think I might start it one of these times, but apparently not.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

okojosan

"As X as I" sounds more correct to me because my brain fills in "am" at the end. "As X as I am."

I accept that "as X as me" is more conversational.

Harry is just as sane as you (are) and I (am). At this point, just write it as "Harry is just as sane as we are." :D

Basically, I agree with you.

the_siobhan

I do the same, fill in the "I am" so that's the way I would have gone. I didn't know "as me" is also considered correct, so I have learned a thing today!

Edited Date: 2026-07-12 12:45 am (UTC)

shadowkat

Why do they feel the need to insult you and call you names for asking a question? And the "you or me" or "you or I" question is legitimately confusing to anyone who has learned the English language at any point in their lifetime. People can be pedantic and polite at the same time, annoyingly pedantic yes, but still polite and even kind.

They sound very defensive and angry - but why take it out on you? And why on that question?

So odd and quite unpleasant.

Sends cyber hugs your way. I'm sorry that happened to you.

**

For me? I have issues with the whole "As you or I" vs. "you or me", or the "you and I" vs. "you and me", because my brain thinks you and me sounds better than you and I, and wants to pick the first one, even though I'm constantly told it is the second.

The difficulty with the English language is it is very contrary at times? Actually that may true of most languages.

Edited Date: 2026-07-12 01:23 am (UTC)

conuly

I'm not the person who asked the question, I just told them that their answers were unhelpful.

Which, to be fair, I didn't exactly mince my words, but the both went from 0 to 60 in their defensiveness, probably for the same reason everybody does when they're confidently asserting something that is completely false.

> For me? I have issues with the whole "As you or I" vs. "you or me", or the "you and I" vs. "you and me", because my brain thinks you and me sounds better than you and I, and wants to pick the first one, even though I'm constantly told it is the second.

Well, whoever tells you that is wrong.

Yes, people are very assertive on the internet and opinionated. Also not very good at tonal writing, apparently. Tone is hard to do well in writing. The difficulty with "formal" speech and grammatically accurate speech - is the tone can come across as a bit condensing and patronizing. But if you go too far the other way - it's harder to understand, and can also be insulting.

It helps in regards to misunderstandings - to strive for understanding and tolerance, also to put kindness first? Being right isn't as important, or so I've discovered, as being kind. (I've learned that the hard way, on more than one occasion. Sometimes its better to let the person be wrong.)

Edited Date: 2026-07-12 01:35 am (UTC)

The thing is, this is /r/EnglishLearning. If you just "let people be wrong" then what you're doing is allowing them to misinform the hapless learner who posted asking for help.

Or, worse, you're letting them get downvoted into oblivion while nobody stops to explain why that's happening. I've never felt that this is kinder than simply saying what the reason is.

Well, it's the internet? They'll figure it out somehow? I remind myself that it's not up to me to tell them, and I'm wrong 85% of the time anyhow - so...

Everyone thinks they are an expert on the internet.

I make an effort not to be wrong 85% of the time by checking references before I comment. Which I did in this case, three of them.

zavodilaterrarium

Honestly, I'd choose 'I'/'me' based on what emphasis I wanted. If there's not particular emphasis on the comparison, then "you or I" is probably my default since that's more along the lines of what I was taught in school? But if I'm focusing on the comparison, it personally sounds very unnatural to verbally put emphasis on 'I' when it's the end of a phrase — a strong 'me' sounds much more reasonable to my ear.

Well, what you were taught in school is wrong. Both forms are generally regarded by reputable style guides as correct.

To give the benefit of the doubt, the last time I was actively taught this specific grammar was long enough ago that I can't recall exactly what they said.

On the other hand, one of my friends had teachers who refused to actually teach her proper grammar and structure because she was "just naturally gifted at English". She wasn't a native EN speaker btw. So. I don't necessarily trust that the teachers knew what they were doing...

conuly