Quote:
Originally Posted by fiona bramble  Hi C,
I recently replied to a thread saying that "which" could not be used as a relative pronoun referring to people (in this case it was "family"). Anglika & engee30 both though "which" was fine. I suggested perhaps if the family was considered a unit (thing-like!) then maybe it was possible but it didn't sit well with me. What do you think?
F  |
fiona, I agree with you, Anglika, and engee30, and, not to forget, Delmobile.
The noun
family has more than one referent. It refers to the unit itself, the group (a thing) as well as to the people in that group.
People: I'm talking about the family who ...
Unit: I'm talking about the family that / which ...
Lenka, the phrase
the best person houses the noun
person, yes, but that noun is also modified by an adjective, one that turns the noun phrase into name
for a person. Names are not people, which is why
that, not
who works best with your example sentence.
Does that help?