protect you and I

[thedaffodils]

Frank: Where is your cell
Zoe: Here.It's not recording
Frank: I need to ask you to delete all of our phone history.
Zoe: Why would I do that?
Frank: I'm try to protect both you and I.

Source: House of Cards, American TV drama.

I think it should be both you and me, but why did Frank said you and I?

Thank you!

 

[MikeNewYork]

It should be "me". The use of "I" when "me" is required is the most common use of hypercorrection. It has become so common, it is in danger of becoming acceptable. Others include "between you and I", "to you and I", "for you and I", etc.

 

[Tdol]

And, of course, you have me when I is required:

[strike]John and me[/strike] went there.

This form is also fairly common among native speakers in some parts, though it would still be marked wrong in exams and tests.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes. I wouldn't call that hypercorrection though. Is there a name for that sort of usage -- other than poor grammar?

 

[lotus888]

Just replace the word in question by itself in the sentence to see if it sounds proper.

I'll try to protect you. OK
I'll try to protect me. OK
I'll try to protect I. NO

John went there. OK
I went there. OK
Me went there. NO

These are simple tests to see if the formation is correct. Otherwise, you must know whether the pronoun is acting as the subject or the object.


--lotus

 

[thedaffodils]

It should be "me". The use of "I" when "me" is required is the most common use of hypercorrection. It has become so common, it is in danger of becoming acceptable. Others include "between you and I", "to you and I", "for you and I", etc.

In that TV drama, Frank is a powerful congressman who graduates from Harvard University, so he is a well-educated native speaker. Why would he say that? Do you possibly have any suggestion? Why do many native speakers say that?



Thank you!

 

[MikeNewYork]

In my experience, not many educated NES say that.

 

[lotus888]

It's a script. Writers can make mistakes. Or, there may be an error in transcription. In fact, there are two errors in the sentence.

Frank: I'm try to protect both you and I.


--lotus

 

[Tdol]

Yes. I wouldn't call that hypercorrection though. Is there a name for that sort of usage -- other than poor grammar?

I believe some linguists talk of compound pronouns that behave differently, but I guess you wouldn't want to hear that. It's certainly not hypercorrection. ;-)

 

[thedaffodils]

It's a script. Writers can make mistakes. Or, there may be an error in transcription. In fact, there are two errors in the sentence.

Frank: I'm try to protect both you and I.


--lotus

Probably it was my typo about I'm try.