WHO or WHOM? A 90% Trick

Self | 30APR03 | bannie

[bannie]

In a recent thread, we discussed teachers' various abilities/inabilities. With the banter about math "blocks," I had to start calling people on the frequent mis-usage of the pronoun "that."

I teased others--and I hope the understood my playful intent! Even true mathematicians can make simple mistakes in math. Likewise, even true grammarians can make simple mistakes in grammar. I only made note because of the subject of the thread (An English teacher who was having trouble passing a required math test).

In the thread, I mentioned that I could give a quick-fix lesson on how to determine whether one should use the pronoun "who" or the pronoun "whom."

The Rule:
WHO = SUBJECTIVE
WHOM = OBJECTIVE
or...
While "who" holds the grammatical position of a SUBJECT, "whom" holds the grammatical position of an OBJECT.
Subject = the "doer." Object = the DIRECT OBJECT or the INDIRECT OBJECT or the OBJECT of a preposition...the "do-ee."

THE TRICK:

IF replacing the who/whom in question with HE--simply because it SOUNDS BETTER--use WHO.

IF replacing the who/whom in question with HIM--simply because it SOUNDS BETTER--use WHOM.

IE:
With the question:

To who/whom should I give the "Offed by a Clinton" Award?

Try replacing the space with each, "he" and "him."
Although it's not totally "sensical," the better sounding choice is...

To HIM should I give...

(more clearly, Should I give the "Offed by a Clinton" award to HIM?
SOOOOOooooo...since "HIM" = "WHOM,"

the correct "who/whom-ness" of the question should be:

To WHOM should I give...?

IE:
Who/Whom was the oldest goat in the pool?

Try replacing the space with each, "he" and "him."

It makes much more sense to the ear to replace the who/whom with:

He was the oldest...

than with:

Him was the oldest...

SOOOOOoooooo....since "HE" = "WHO"...

The answer is...WHO was the oldest goat in the pool?

[bannie]

"Whoever the person was who wrote this, they need to confess immediately."

WHOMEVER the person was...

[Exit148]

Thanks for your #17! That's my problem -- even when I look it up, get it all straightened out,---- the next time I want to use it ---AAGGHHHHHH!

[T Minus Four]

Be My Little General. Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and just General. One, two, three and four stars respectively.

[bannie]

Who do they remind you of?

I agree:
"Of whom do they remind you?"

[Fifth Business]

Just substitute the word "boatload" for lot. Boatload is obviously singular, problem solved.

LOL! That's a brilliant solution! I think "heap" might work too.

[VermiciousKnid]

Yes, I know it's a trick...but Mother STILL would have preferred "...has come to an end."

She is a very formal speaker - and was one hell of a good English teacher. She taught remedial reading for years, and when those kids got out of her class they sounded as of they'd been educated by Prof. Henry Higgins!

Regards,

PS: I just love these threads! They are so much fun!

[MEG33]

I thought this was a FR joke (lose and loose)like huge and hugh or serious and series!!

[T Minus Four]

Yep, they're a boatload of fun. They are the penultimate in fun, as a matter of fact.

[RadioAstronomer]

While we're on this kind of thing, does anyone know the code to remember the planets?

Here is a very old one to remember the stellar sequence:

Oh be a fine girl kiss me right now sweety.

OBAFGKMRNS

p.s. The "right now sweety was a later add on as the R,S,N type of stars were added.

[bannie]

Know any tricks for hence, thence, and whence?

Hence : away from, because of, out of (from)

Thence: from that time, fact, place (then)

Whence: from a place, source, cause (because)

Thank you for asking...I had to look them up to be sure, and I had no idea about "thence."

[bannie]

The little tongue twisted we used to chant as a reference was:


Who holds whom for whom?
For whom does who hold what?

May I quote you? GREAT ONE!!!

[bannie]

Whence he comes, thence he goes, hence he comes again.

Means: From where he comes, from then he goes and he will come again.


WOW! Good stuff tonight! I love this!

[RadioAstronomer]

Yes, they are in order. Usually. I believe that Uranus and Pluto occasionally switch orbits, but I wouldn't bet my last nickel on that.

Pluto has a somewhat large eccentricity (compared to our Earth) and during its perihelion (closest point to the Sun), it is indeed inside the orbit of Neptune.

[VermiciousKnid]

Thank you. I knew it was something like that.

Regards,

[T Minus Four]

Do your other friends, the ones WHO say penultimate and decimated, also say hence, whence and thence? (snicker)

[bannie]

Another gem! THANK YOU!!!

[Fifth Business]

Do your other friends, the ones WHO say penultimate and decimated, also say hence, whence and thence? (snicker)

Only when they are instant-messaging.

[T Minus Four]

You IM with a lofty crowd, my friend :-)

[bannie]

To whom was this post intended?

You mean, "FOR WHOM"? LOL!!

AND..."To whom was...directed?"

FURTHER: Who does this "bannie" think she is???

[Fifth Business]

You IM with a lofty crowd, my friend :-)

(chortle) Thanks.