Help with particle choice? は instead of が in 私が商品おじゃない．．．

[melissapaisley]

So, I have written 私が商品おじゃない as meaning 'i am not an object' for a human trafficking poster set, using 商品 to indicate object as a commodity. I am having issues with the article following 私....my first thought was to use が for emphasis, but in recollection I am thinking to use は instead.

Any feedback about this particle issue or any other problems with the phrasing would be very much appreciated.

Thank you very much for your time!

 

[Toritoribe]

私は商品じゃない is correct. 私が商品じゃない is used in a situation comparing "I" with a true commodity, for instance, 私が商品じゃない。彼女が商品だ。
If it's an affirmative sentence 私が商品だ, yes, が emphasizes 私 than は.

 

[melissapaisley]

Oh, I understand now. Thank you :]

 

[eeky]

Is it ever possible for 私は～じゃない (where ～ is some noun) to suggest that the speaker is a ～?

 

[Toritoribe]

With the rising intonation, yes it's possible (meaning something like "you know?").

 

[eeky]

Is it conceivable that anyone could make that interpretation when reading the written statement 私が商品じゃない, that's assuming no question mark, no spoken intonation to guide, and no other context?

 

[Toritoribe]

I don't think so. This expression is used in a context, a flow of a conversation, so a single sentence usually doesn't be interpreted as that meaning.