Grammar question: who vs. whom?
- Thread starter Pencap
- Start date
The line starts behind me.
Seriously, grammar talk like this almost makes me wet. Almost.
Almost is too close for comfort. Personally I'm happy to get bumped from the front of the line.
Who would have thought . . .
Smart, sexy and from what I've heard you can suck a baseball through a garden hose. You're most certainly on my TDL.
I've always suspected in Canada, people deliberately use "who" and avoid "whom". This seems to be a big distinction between Canadians and the U.S./Britain. I think if you even try to slip "whom" into a sentence, in Canada, you are immediately pegged as an upper-class git who is trying to be a know it all.
I'm not sure if this distinction carries over to the U.S. as well. For instance, it wouldn't surprise me if in Boston, they use whom. Similarly in England, the upper class uses whom, whereas in cockney, whom would simply be another term to use "inventively".
In any case, my vote is for "who", simply because I don't know anyone who has ever used "whom" in that context and not got a reaction.
I'm not sure if this distinction carries over to the U.S. as well. For instance, it wouldn't surprise me if in Boston, they use whom. Similarly in England, the upper class uses whom, whereas in cockney, whom would simply be another term to use "inventively".
In any case, my vote is for "who", simply because I don't know anyone who has ever used "whom" in that context and not got a reaction.
Another way of looking at it is this:
"I have a good idea of who I am as a person"
Google matches to a line from a book.
"I have a good idea of who I am"
Google matches to lots of text.
"I have a good idea of whom I am as a person" and
"I have a good idea of whom I am"
Matches nothing.
As such, I'm going to vote with all the people that said "who" is correct. Also, I'm going to second my own opinion that if you use "whom" you will come across as someone who is trying to be upper-class.
"I have a good idea of who I am as a person"
Google matches to a line from a book.
"I have a good idea of who I am"
Google matches to lots of text.
"I have a good idea of whom I am as a person" and
"I have a good idea of whom I am"
Matches nothing.
As such, I'm going to vote with all the people that said "who" is correct. Also, I'm going to second my own opinion that if you use "whom" you will come across as someone who is trying to be upper-class.
Yes and the funny part is that those who use 'whom' in an attempt to sound upper-class often sound like fools because they almost always use it incorrectly. It always makes me laugh...
Alls I knows is
If you can modify the sentence to change the subject to "he", then "who" is appropriate.
If you can modify the sentence to change the subject to "him", then "whom" is appropriate.
I have a good idea of he, as a person? nope
I have a good idea of him, as a person? Yup
Go with Whom.
If you can modify the sentence to change the subject to "he", then "who" is appropriate.
If you can modify the sentence to change the subject to "him", then "whom" is appropriate.
I have a good idea of he, as a person? nope
I have a good idea of him, as a person? Yup
Go with Whom.
That's what I was taught.
"Who I am as a person" is a subordinate noun clause doing the job and taking the place of a noun or pronoun which would be the subjective completion in the sentence. The 'who' is a pronominal subordinate conjunction. Because the sentence uses the copula verb "is" the accusative or objective case is not used after it: 'This is who I am', but 'whom' is proper as the object of a transitive verb, or a preposition like 'of' or 'to'. 'To whom, do you refer: the one speaking, or the one who is silent?'
Just use the 'he/him' method. I have to lie down now.
Similar to someone who says something like... "If you have any questions just ask so and so or myself."Yes and the funny part is that those who use 'whom' in an attempt to sound upper-class often sound like fools because they almost always use it incorrectly. It always makes me laugh...
And it started so well. But you completely recast the sentence when you inserted "he" and "him":
I have a good idea of who he is as a person.
I have a good idea of whom him is as a person.
It is, as Yippee stated, the entire phrase (or clause or whatever) which is answering the "what" question: I have a good idea of what? Of who he is as a person.
Or, I have a good idea of what? Of who I am as a person. Thus: I have a good idea of who I am as a person.
And I'm so glad that Gen agreed, 'cuz she knows her stuff pretty well and I'd hate to have to be on the other side of the discussion from her.
Just checking , is it english grammar or eubonics grammar?????????????????I wants to get me some pussy tonight
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Of that I have no doubt but a quick lesson on how to use spell check would be useful for some.
...
I'm going to go out on a limb and say BOTH are correct:
"Whom" because that is the correct place in a sentence to use the word "whom"; and "who" because the word "whom" serves no useful purpose and is exiting the language.
Many speakers in fact will now use "who" in that case, but some older speakers will be annoyed by the failure to use the previously correct "whom".
Hence as Gen pointed out many intelligent editors attempt to dodge the word as there is no way to appease everyone.
Those language pedants who think English is pure and cannot evolve over time--I invite you at this moment to explain under what circumstancs thee/thy/thou is correct in place of you/your/you.
"Whom" because that is the correct place in a sentence to use the word "whom"; and "who" because the word "whom" serves no useful purpose and is exiting the language.
Many speakers in fact will now use "who" in that case, but some older speakers will be annoyed by the failure to use the previously correct "whom".
Hence as Gen pointed out many intelligent editors attempt to dodge the word as there is no way to appease everyone.
Those language pedants who think English is pure and cannot evolve over time--I invite you at this moment to explain under what circumstancs thee/thy/thou is correct in place of you/your/you.
