grammaticality - "Nobody will help you but me" vs. "Nobody will help you but I"


As has been shown in another question, in comparisons with than both the accusative and the nominative are possible and grammatical:




  • He loves you more than I.

  • He loves you more than me.



However, when we use but only the accusative seems possible:



Nobody will help you but me. [Not I]



What I think is that the nominative case could be justified as well.



Nobody will help you but I [will].



Why I am wrong? Any other examples and references will be appreciated.



Answer



Nobody will help you but me and Nobody will help you, but I will are different constructions. In the first, but is a preposition and prepositions generally require the accusative form of the pronoun. In the second, but is a coordinating conjunction linking two clauses, of which the second has I as its subject.


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