Teacher Discussion Forums

Which one is correct?

Either.

Why do you ask?

lolwhites wrote:Either.

Why do you ask?

To see if anyone says that only one is correct.

Since "whom" sounds daft outside of a formal context, I can't see a likely context for "guess whom the French love".

Were I to come across it in a student essay about the French, the barbaric red ink pen would perhaps twitch a little......

woodcutter wrote:Since "whom" sounds daft outside of a formal context, I can't see a likely context for "guess whom the French love".

Were I to come across it in a student essay about the French, the barbaric red ink pen would perhaps twitch a little......

Is that an answer to my question?

I only use 'who' although quite aware about the 'whom' affair. It would be a hyper corrector teacher or hyper concerned with form that would force their pupils to write 'whom'.


Now, won't you want to ask whether natives still use 'whom' or whether we teach or are expected to teach it?

José

Metamorfose wrote:I only use 'who' although quite aware about the 'whom' affair. It would be a hyper corrector teacher or hyper concerned with form that would force their pupils to write 'whom'.


Now, won't you want to ask whether natives still use 'whom' or whether we teach or are expected to teach it?

José

Now, won't you want to ask whether natives still use 'whom' or whether we teach or are expected to teach it?

No way! On another forum, I did that recently and it sparked a thread of over 400 posts.

People have murdered each other over the whom or who debate.

No way! On another forum, I did that recently and it sparked a thread of over 400 posts.

People have murdered each other over the whom or who debate.

I seem to imagine what went there, people complaining about how language's been deteriorated by bad usage, people who get over-excited about it and start to post messages more of personal feelings than a healthy discussion on the matter, I guess I know what you mean.

I don't want to be boring but why ask this so? I mean, if you know where it can lead


José

The use of "who" as the object seems more common than "whom" except when it is the object of a preposition where "whom" is still obligatory.

eg "By whom done," which you will still find in job books.

'who' is the neutral and informal form.
'whom' is the very formal written form.

The term 'neutral' is very useful. It tells you you can use the form in nearly all registers. There is an excellent discussion of this in the first chapter of "The Cambridge English Grammar".

Metamorfose wrote:

No way! On another forum, I did that recently and it sparked a thread of over 400 posts.

People have murdered each other over the whom or who debate.

I seem to imagine what went there, people complaining about how language's been deteriorated by bad usage, people who get over-excited about it and start to post messages more of personal feelings than a healthy discussion on the matter, I guess I know what you mean.

I don't want to be boring but why ask this so? I mean, if you know where it can lead


José

I don't imagine it would go the same way on this forum.

So, looking at what Stephen said, if we are having our arms bent for a concrete answer, "who" is the correct answer.

Is there a really natural context for " Guess whom the French love?". I suppose if some silly high-brow music buffs were discussing which composers were popular in which country, you might possibly hear it........

Don't put words in my mouth woodcutter. It all depends on the register.
Only 'who' is correct in informal contexts.
Both are correct in most formal written contexts, and formal spoken contexts dependent on idiolect.
Only 'whom' is correct in highly formal contexts, such as writing for brain-dead American copy-editors.

And in which formal written context, pray, are we going to write "Guess whom the French love?".

And the butler, resplendent in his formal attire, queried, "Guess whom the French love?"