Example: When (i) went to the store but the clerk said he couldn't sell to (Me).
Don't worry I am from The United States. I am just wondering the importance behind this.
Ohio, If you must know.
2006-11-01 17:23:13 · 11 answers · asked by ۩ Cuthbert ♂ 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
According to "The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (Wilson, 1988):
"~I~ pron. 1137 i; later I; developed from the unstressed form of Old English (about 725) ic singular pronoun of the first person (nominative case). Modern and Middle English I developed from earlier i in the stressed position. I came to be written with a capital letter thereby making it a distinct word and avoiding misreading handwritten manuscripts. In the northern and midland dialects of England the capitalized form I appeared about 1250."
http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxwhyisi.html
The one-letter form "O" is treated the same way (unlike "oh"), probably for the same reason.
2006-11-01 23:32:43 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When languages were handwritten, there was a fear of confusing that the pronoun I was to be confused as being the first/last letter of the adjacent word.
What about the definite article "a"?
2006-11-01 17:40:48 · answer #2 · answered by Kavliaris 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because it looks funny when i don't capitalize it and leave it all by itself. Ofcourse most people of today who use instant messengers or text messages are used to seeing it that way and don't think it looks funny.
2006-11-01 17:26:07 · answer #3 · answered by BA 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I assume it arises from the fact that 'I' is the nominative form of the personal pronoun, and 'me' is the accusative form.
2006-11-02 07:18:17 · answer #4 · answered by aarcue 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's like starting a new sentence. From what I <----------- remember in English class there was these sentence assignments and we had to split each sentence in half according to their correct name.
2006-11-01 17:32:30 · answer #5 · answered by Linda H 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Darn good question, wish i knew, lol. Ohio here too.
2006-11-01 17:25:21 · answer #6 · answered by twysty 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Interesting question.
Isn't "I" the only word that stands alone?
2006-11-01 18:40:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I just think that the lowercase i looks stupid.. that's why they decided it should be capitalized!!
2006-11-01 17:46:17 · answer #8 · answered by hanna a 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I is considered a pronoun
2006-11-01 17:33:21 · answer #9 · answered by Claude 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
maybe it because the law or the old people use to say that .. i'm not sure even..
2006-11-01 17:26:04 · answer #10 · answered by nanah_hasanah 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋