"It is me" vs. "It is I". Case Study on the effects of prescriptivism

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Literature Review
  • 2.1. English grammars, grammarians and grammar writing: the creation of the standard
  • 2.2. The field of Normative Linguistics
  • 2.3. Pilot study
• 3. Initial hypotheses, aims, and research questions.
• 4. Methodology
  • 4.1. Precept Corpus
  • 4.2. Usage Corpus
• 5. Results and discussion
  • 5.1. Diachronic change in attitudes
  • 5.2. Labels, reasons, and topics
  • 5.3. Target audience
  • 5.4. Author's place of birth
  • 5.5. The dichotomy of gender: grammarians and target audience
  • 5.6. The effects of prescriptivism on language use
• 6. The 'controverted phrase' nowadays

Objectives and Key Themes

This dissertation investigates the prescriptivist attitude towards the construction "it is me" in historical English grammars. It aims to analyze the reasoning behind grammarians' preference for the subject case pronoun ("it is I") and evaluate the impact of prescriptivism on actual language use. This research involves examining a self-compiled corpus of 66 historical English grammars from the 16th to the 20th century, alongside a usage corpus (ARCHER and Old Bailey) from the same periods.

• The evolution of prescriptivist attitudes towards "it is me" over time.
• The reasons behind grammarians' disapproval of the object case pronoun in this construction.
• The influence of prescriptivism on actual language use in speech and writing.
• The impact of factors such as target audience, author's background, and gender on prescriptivist views.
• The current status of "it is me" in contemporary Standard English.

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1: Introduction - This chapter provides an overview of the topic and sets the stage for the dissertation. It introduces the concept of prescriptivism in language and discusses the historical context of English grammar writing.
• Chapter 2: Literature Review - This chapter reviews relevant literature on English grammar writing, the field of Normative Linguistics, and previous studies related to the construction "it is me".
• Chapter 3: Initial hypotheses, aims, and research questions - This chapter outlines the research hypotheses, objectives, and specific research questions that guide the investigation.
• Chapter 4: Methodology - This chapter details the research methodology, including the creation and description of the precept corpus and the usage corpus.
• Chapter 5: Results and discussion - This chapter presents and analyzes the findings of the research, examining the diachronic change in attitudes towards "it is me", the reasons behind prescriptivist views, and the effects of prescriptivism on language use.
• Chapter 6: The 'controverted phrase' nowadays - This chapter discusses the current status of "it is me" in contemporary Standard English, considering its acceptance and use in modern language.

Keywords

The research focuses on the historical development of prescriptivism in English grammar writing, particularly examining the construction "it is me" and its evolution over time. Key concepts include Normative Linguistics, historical corpora, diachronic change, language use, and the influence of social factors on language attitudes.