Who and whom

[Tdol]

My Google finds 389,00 examples of "whom did you" and 33,100,000 of "who did you". To suggest that who is never used as an object is not borne out by the most basic levels of assessment of usage.

 

[Matthew Wai]

This learner has come to the following conclusion:
Grammatically 'who' is not the object form, but actually it is often used as the object form, rightly or wrongly.

 

[Barb_D]

This learner has come to the following conclusion:
Grammatically 'who' is not the object form, but actually it is often used as the object form, rightly or wrongly.

I suggest this conclusion instead:

As English continues to evolve, rules that reflect common and everyday use tell us that "who" can serve as both the subject and object.

Some day, when I'm bored, I'll see what other pedantic advice grammar monster spits out, with English frozen in the state of "what was correct when I had 10th grade English."

 

[Ju]

Thank you very much for all your input.

So, if it is an examination, I should choose "whom" instead of "who" in the follwing sentences, am I right?


1. Who did you meet at thell library? Amy and Susan.

2. Whom did you meet at thell library? Amy and Susan

Thanks.

 

[Phaedrus]

One thing is very clear:

It is never grammatically incorrect to use "whom" as an object pronoun.

 

[GoesStation]

Thank you very much for all your input.

So, if it is an examination, I should choose "whom" instead of "who" in the follwing sentences, am I right?


1. Who did you meet at thell library? Amy and Susan.

2. Whom did you meet at thell library? Amy and Susan

Is the library's name Thell Library? If so, you have to capitalize the first letter of each word.

Your teacher was probably taught that only whom is correct. It's not wrong, though hardly anyone would use it there, so you should pick number 2.

I suspect the question is about the library.

 

[GoesStation]

One thing is very clear:

It is never grammatically incorrect to use "whom" as an object pronoun.

I agree. It's not natural in most cases for the overwhelming majority of Anglophones though.

 

[Ju]

Is the library's name Thell Library? If so, you have to capitalize the first letter of each word.

Your teacher was probably taught that only whom is correct. It's not wrong, though hardly anyone would use it there, so you should pick number 2.

I suspect the question is about the library.

Sorry, it's my fault. I misspelled it.

Thanks.

 

[GoesStation]

This learner has come to the following conclusion:
Grammatically 'who' is not the object form, but actually it is often used as the object form, rightly or wrongly.

In a grammar based on actual usage by millions of careful writers, who and whom are both object forms. Whom is favored when it immediately follows a preposition and, occasionally, in other positions. This analysis can be supported by attestations dating back hundreds of years.

A few diehards insist that the overwhelming majority of users are wrong.

 

[Phaedrus]

This analysis can be supported by attestations dating back hundreds of years.

I do appreciate your Shakespeare quotes, GoesStation. However, quoting Shakespearean usage doesn't always constitute a knock-down proof of grammatical correctness. Lord knows, I've tried to score some grammatical points the same way myself over the years. I personally would be more impressed if you could find even one use of "who" as an object pronoun in the entire King James Bible (1611).

I've heard that there is an Apostrophe Preservation Society. Perhaps I shall start one for "Whom" and "Shall."

 

[GoesStation]

I do appreciate your Shakespeare quotes, GoesStation. However, quoting Shakespearean usage doesn't always constitute a knock-down proof of grammatical correctness. Lord knows, I've tried to score some grammatical points the same way myself over the years. I personally would be more impressed if you could find even one use of "who" as an object pronoun in the entire King James Bible (1611).

I've heard that there is an Apostrophe Preservation Society. Perhaps I shall start one for "Whom" and "Shall."

Here's the opposite case from the KJV: He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (King James Bible, Matthew 16:15).

 

[emsr2d2]

I've heard that there is an Apostrophe Preservation Society.

There is. I'm a member.

 

[Ju]

1. You gave the parcel to whom?
2. Who did you give the parcel to?

The above sentences are the same in meaning and grammatical.

Am I correct?

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.

 

[Ju]

1. You gave the parcel to whom?
2. Who did you give the parcel to?

The above sentences are the same in meaning and grammatical.

Am I correct?

Thanks.

But sentence 1 is not natural so seldom to be used for both written and spoken English, am I correct?

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes.