To HATE it when people use am instead of I'm?

[Itsonme]

I absolutely cannot stand this!

For example when people say 'am so excited'

It's appalling English and bugs the utter crap out of me!

Name calling?! Hahaha

I'm not wrong. The abbreviation of I am is I'm for the last time

Am laughing at this thread kicking off

According to whom? Don't you think language changes?

I do this when in "quick type" mode as well, and my entire career has been in editing and publishing, and loads of other experienced eds do it as well, so it can't be that bad.

It is not, as you suggest, a misguided attempt at an abbreviation of "I'm". It's something slightly different: just leaving out a word that's implied as a way of keeping things brief. When I do it, I do it with other non-essential words in the email as well, like "the".

I don't mind it at all, because to me it carries old-fashioned echoes of telegrams. "Am coming home. Stop. Arriving Edinburgh 15:40. Stop." It's not a new thing.

Yeah, perhaps I'll just go round and change a few things that I fancy and see if it sticks!

For everyone concerned about the name calling, relax, it's not like I called her a c*nt!

Well, how else do you think language changes?

You are silly, OP. You have misunderstood the reason why people do this, and now you're insisting that they are all wrong based on your misunderstanding (viz. that they believe they are abbreviating "I'm").

Language does change, of course, otherwise we'd all sound the same as people in the 1500s. By all means do make some changes of your own -- they won't stick unless they're useful though...

Excellent, I think i'll make some changes tonight then!

Er, I meant abbreviating "I am", not "I'm". D'oh.

You are wrong itsonme and it has been explained clearly that people are not abbreviating, they are just not using a superfluous word. Most would agree that in everyday life this would be odd but it is perfectly acceptable and usual when typing.

Well, don't hold your breath - doesn't happen overnight.

No I don't believe they are abbreviating I'm. I KNOW that they are abbreviating I am. The abbreviation of I am is I'm! What is so hard to understand about that?

YANBU to hate it but it's not appalling English, it's a perfectly acceptable contraction.

How do you KNOW - have you done some sort of survey? Elision of pronouns is quite common.

For goodness sake! You do not KNOW they are abbreviating I am because they are not. They are missing out a word "I". To quote, what is so hard to understand?

NO-ONE is arguing that the contraction of I am is not I'm. That is NOT what people are doing when they use "am" at the start of the sentence. As many articulate posters have stated, they are simply missing a superfluous implied word. You may hate it, but it doesn't make it wrong.

By the way, am an Oxford graduate in English Literature.

Next you'll be saying I shouldn't write or say "amn't I" !

Right, am going to explain if it kills me.

If I jump onto a post after a day not MNetting and announce "back again!" I am missing out "I am". I am not abbreviating. But it still makes sense and everyone can understand that I am, clearly, back again.

Not Mrs, though, said...

Nearly full moon...

Are we entering the lunar phase of banging heads on brick walls then opener?

am loving this thread

'nuff respect LC200! An English grad, how super for you. Oxford too? You're practically famous

I love Mumsnet. Everyone gets their knickers in such a twist!

Next I'll be accused of living under a bridge....

Chillax Itsonme