Of course, many people do mis-use 'him' in speech (which, by the way, is a very old error): "Him and me are going to the movies tonight." Usually, however, if I point it out, my kids will correct themselves. I don't think they'd do that with who/whom.
Paul E. Doniger
----- Original Message -----
From: Glauner, Jeff
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 9:25 AM
Subject: Re: who or whom, incl. a trick for teaching it
Mary Lou,
You are probably achieving about the right balance with this little test. We are less touchy about who and whom in spoken English and somewhat more touchy in written English. Johanna is right in suggesting that it is a rare speaker of English who automatically uses who and whom right because of their association with case. What your test does is associate who and whom with another set if pronouns (he and him) that most of us do get right most of the time. In literature, we learn through metaphors in much the same way.
My usual disclaimer. What is right and wrong in English language use is relative to what is assumed to be standard by whatever authority is present in a particular context. Job applicants have been denied employment by employers who have mistakenly judged the use of who and whom in the applicants' resumes. Of course, I wouldn't want to work for such persons anyway.
Jeff Glauner
Associate Professor of English
Park University, Box 1303
8700 River Park Drive
Parkville MO 64152
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http://www.park.edu/jglauner/index.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: Marylou Colucci [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 9:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: who or whom, incl. a trick for teaching it
I am an English teacher of 7th and 8th graders and I also teach who/whom
substituting he/him. Most kids catch on to that trick quickly. They
probably don't use it in their everyday speech, but at least they think about
it in their writing.
Who/whom will you take to the party?
You will take him to the party. (Whom then would be correct)