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In this circumstance, which would be the most correct / natural answer?

Person 1: I don't eat meat
Person 2: Neither do I / Nor do I / Me neither / Me either

This says both "neither do I" and "Me neither" are often used. But I have also heard / read "me either" and "nor do I" in multiple scenarios. Which then is the correct way of saying it? Are the others wrong or just not used?

Scott - Слава Україні
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Suchi
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6 Answers6

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It's not a matter of "correct"-ness. It's a matter of social class and personal presentation.

In decreasing order of falutation:

  1. nor do I (archaic; now either ironic or intended to sound classy, or both)
  2. neither do I (normal in writing, common in speech)
  3. me either (common in speech, more familiar)
  4. me neither (common in ingroup speech)

... roughly speaking, of course; I'm no sociolinguist.

This kind of social layering for language variation is completely normal, in every language. To call one mode "correct" would be wrong; appropriateness of speech or writing depends on the speaker/writer's aims, and their judgement of their relationship with their listener/reader (and of course on how accurate their judgement is). What's correct in one situation is often incorrect in another.

John Lawler
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    I guess it all comes down to the region of the world you are in. I remember reading somewhere that "me either" is more common in the UK and Australia, whereas the US uses "neither do I" or "me neither" more commonly. – Suchi Feb 02 '12 at 22:29
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    Wonder what to make of me either (common in speech, more familiar) -- technically incorrect, incomprehensibly oxymoronic for anyone unfamiliar with the 'usage', inconvenient to pronounce and not so pleasant to hear. – Kris Feb 03 '12 at 04:51
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    @Kris: Which is why I prefer to say me neither when possible. My favorite, when I can get away with it, is Spanish tampoco yo, which is unambiguous, and mellifluous in my opinion. – John Lawler Nov 18 '13 at 01:49
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    I don't recognise me either and would count it as ungrammatical. On the other hand, nor do I is absolutely normal for me, and doesn't sound either classy or archaic. I probably say it more readily than neither do I. – Colin Fine Feb 01 '15 at 22:02
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    I agree with @Colin about nor do I: it's prefectly commonplace, even colloquially, in BrE. I don't agree with him about me either, though, which is quite common as well, even in BrE (though perhaps it's a more recent loan from AmE and more restricted to younger speakers?). I'd be unlikely to say it myself, but I hear it frequently enough). – Janus Bahs Jacquet Feb 01 '15 at 22:25
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    FWIW, I can't find a reasonable definition for "falutation" anywhere, including on this site! – Jed Daniels Nov 09 '17 at 22:53
  • When I consider that "I do too" or "I would too" can be substituted with "me too", I feel like it's not unnatural to substitute "I don't either" or "I wouldn't either" with "me either". They feel more like a set if neither of them change form when following "me". However, when I consider that "me either" is missing the part that makes it negative, I have to conclude that "me neither" is more correct. After all, isn't "neither" a sort of contraction of "not either"? "Me either" implies the negative part while omitting it. – Mentalist Feb 22 '21 at 08:08
  • I've never heard falutation before. – Decapitated Soul May 06 '21 at 16:46
  • Falutation. High, low or middle! What a great day for innovatin’. Love it. –  May 06 '21 at 21:33
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    @Mentalist: "This man does not like dogs, and that one (doesn't) EITHER, and ME EITHER". As you said "Me either and Me too" are there for a reason. It is not a "mistake". "Me either" agrees with a negative statement, and as such CANNOT have the second negation (me Neither). "Me neither" does "feel nice" triggering some switch in the brain yearning to say "Not either". The reality and logic here are bulletproof. ME EITHER is the only correct way. How can so many "experts" be so blind? Habits are hard to break I guess. – Rista May 07 '21 at 23:40
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Neither do I and Me neither are both correct responses to I don't eat meat. So is Nor do I. So is I don't either. But Me either is incorrect. Also note that Me neither is informal (mainly because of the Me part rather than the neither part).

Armen Ծիրունյան
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    Not forgetting the jokey 'Me too neither'. – Barrie England Feb 02 '12 at 15:20
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    Agreed, with the note that "Nor do I" (or Nor I) would sound very formal in spoken conversation, at least to my ears. – choster Feb 02 '12 at 15:21
  • Me either is fine in some dialects – it's quite common in American English – although like me neither it's informal. It's safer for learners to stick to me neither, though, because in many dialects me either simply doesn't work. –  Dec 13 '16 at 15:41
  • @Snailplane: Me either is the only correct option across all dialects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FNWiKe3Foo&ab_channel=MitCherny – Rista May 09 '21 at 22:06
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"neither" and "nor" and "don't either" etc are for use in response to a negative. ("I DON'T eat meat")

"either", unless directly preceded by "don't" or some other negative, refers to alternatives, such as "You either eat meat or you don't."

Strictly speaking "I" is used when the speaker is the subject ( you wouldn't say "me don't eat meat")

"me neither", strictly speaking, is short for "me also don't", which has "me" as the subject. However, hardly anyone says "I neither" and "Me neither" has come to be acceptable. "Nor me" is still less acceptable than "Nor I" in this context.

"Me neither" or "Nor me." would be a response to the speaker being the object, such as when the initial statement has the form "Dogs don't bite me."

"I don't bite dogs." could be answered by "Nor I."

"Dogs don't bite me." could be answered by "Nor me."

In response to "Don't bite me!" Be careful not to say "Gnaw me!"

John Malcolm
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When you have a sentence like "I don't eat meat" the two correct answers are: 1) Neither do I (or) 2) I don't either.

Ephren Belony
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    Hi Ephren, welcome to EL&U. Could you elaborate on your answer? It's always helpful to explain your reasoning and possibly provide sources. – Adam Sep 27 '15 at 07:10
  • Why do you think that there are only two correct answers? And why the two that you give in particular? – Chenmunka Sep 28 '15 at 12:27
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To make it plain, Ephren gave a good sum up of the question. However, despite the right observation from Armen concerning the "Me" part in "Me neither", we use in US : Me either ; Me neither ; Nor do I. Neither do I seems more precious. I also hear "Neither I"

An other question would be the reply concerning : "she doesn't like me". "Me neither" could mean that "I also don't like you" like "nor do I" or "Neither do I" But "She doesn't like me, either/neither" would be exact & "me either" is common speaking to understand : she doesn't like (neither) you nor me.

NB : "Me either/neither" are only OK for familiar speech.

DAVE
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  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FNWiKe3Foo&ab_channel=MitCherny The answer as to why "Me neither" does not make any sense. – Rista May 09 '21 at 22:03
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"ME EITHER" IS THE ONLY CORRECT VERSION.

"Me neither" contains (Neither) which is the second negative to an already negative statement you are agreeing with, which is impossible under the rules of sound English grammar.

Perhaps this piece of logic will convince the "Me Neither" heretics.

  1. Me too = I (do) too = So do I.

  2. Me EITHER = I (don't) either = Neither do I.

  3. Me Neither = I (don't) neither = grammatical heresy.

(I might be "wrong", of course, as there is a "song" titled : *I wouldn't love me neither). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ2HIpuS6Y4&ab_channel=VEKProduction

Even if we supposed that Me Neither = I (do) neither. "I do Neither" is grammatically correct, but alas, the meaning has nothing to do with agreeing with a statement: Do you smoke or drink? I do neither...Nothing to do with "Me Neither".

This man does not like cats, and that one...EITHER, and ME EITHER.

THE ONLY CORRECT VERSION IS ME EITHER.

Rista
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