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Squire22 · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 68 Location: Shizuoka, Japan

I have some grammar books, but they don't seem to clearly set out the information I want to know. This is regards the use of these two words, "which" and "who", with regards people in a choice situation.

Am I right in thinking that when you have a choice of two people the question is "Who do you like, John or Paul?" and not "Which do you like, John or Paul?"

In this context I keep thinking that "which" is incorrect because you use it with objects and things as opposed to people. "Which do you like better, apples or oranges?"

Or are they both grammatically correct? I ask because I always hear students using "which", and it just doesn't sound right.

Regards

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

I'm no expert, but... (I like giving a crack at these questions)

A. I thought which referred to things/concept words and who directly to people. Which sandwich? Which rental company? Which house? Which person? Who, John or Paul? Who did it? Who likes this stuff?!

B. If you want to get technical (and for conversational purposes this isn't important probably), it would be "WHOM do you like, J or P?" since the "who" isn't the subject of the clause, right?

C. For the record, what would be the term for the "J or P" part of that sentence?

Edit: D. Perhaps you're thinking "Which [person/one] do you like, J or P?" Since it would be easy to imply 'person' or 'one' in that sentence, although it's still a bit odd to be referring to an acquaintance in such an objective manner. "Which [candidate] do you like, John [Kerry] or Paul [Smith]," however, would sound perfectly fine to me.

JonnyB61 · Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Posts: 216 Location: Japan

flyingkiwi · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:

True, it is obsolete, but I love using those Shakespeare words, but have never done it in class or at work. Methinks I would get a few stares.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:51 pm Post subject:

According to Michael Swan in Practical English Usage p. 621, "When these words are used as pronouns, without nouns immediately after them, we generally use who, not which, for people."

The examples given are:

"Who won - Smith or Fitzgibbon?" (not "Which won...")
"Who are you going out with - Lesley or Maria?"

But, as DNK says above, you can use which when it is followed by a noun. "Which player is better - Rooney or Johnson?" etc...

You can also use which for classes of people. Swan's example here is "Which is more valuable to society - a politician or a nurse?"

Odango · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 36

You can't beat a bit of Swan. Very Happy

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

Yeah, whom is pretty obsolete, but I was thinking it might be needed to be known in an academic context and for reading older material. Of course, for conversation purposes it's useless.

But I'm sure I've been marked by teachers for improper usage on papers. Not sure if kids in Japan need to know about this, though.

flyingkiwi · Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:18 am Post subject:

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

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stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe