Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Sat, 30 Oct 2004 12:22:52 -0500 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Johanna,
If "to become" can't take an object, what do we make of the very
reasonable sounding construction, "I don't want to become him"? (I don't
mean an elided "*like* him," but more like the pauper objecting to
becoming the prince, for instance).
Should such a statement properly be, "I don't want to become he"? That
sounds funny, doesn't it?
And I don't mean to beat an objective horse, but I still don't
understand what we are supposed to do with that "who." I know about how
the who/whom question is determined be the pronoun's function within the
clause, and I try to teach my composition students the principle as best
I can, when the need arises. But normally when one recasts a relative
clause, it makes perfect sense. In this case, I still don't quite see
how we can accept the sentence essentially saying, "Return without delay
to become you truly are he."
Kent
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
|
|
|