To me, what's interesting with this case is less the "correct" version
than the fact that both sound OK to me instinctively.
I think the key issue involves case. For me, there's a reasonably sharp
division in acceptability depending on whether the topic appears in
nominative or objective case. Consider the following variations:
*I wonder if it is I who is wrong.
I wonder if it is I who am wrong.
I wonder if it is me who is wrong.
*I wonder if it is me who am wrong.
*I wonder if it is they who is wrong.
I wonder if it is they who are wrong.
I wonder if it is them who is wrong.
*I wonder if it is them who are wrong.
*I wonder if it is we who is wrong.
I wonder if it is we who are wrong.
I wonder if it is us who is wrong.
*I wonder if it is us who are wrong.
I've starred these all based on my intuition (your millage may vary,
obviously), but the clear pattern is that if I'm following the predicate
nominative rule ("it is I..."), I very much want the verb to agree with
the focus of the cleft. If I'm not following that rule ("it's me..."), I
don't want it to agree with the focus.
This pattern fits with the situation for "you": if you follow the
predicate nominative rule, you should use "are." if you don't, you
should use "is." The fact that many of us have both rules available
depending on the situation likely accounts for the fact that to many
people either form sounds acceptable.
On 2/14/2012 11:43 AM, Hancock, Craig G wrote:
> I think the subject of the clause after 'wonder" is extraposed. "It" is just a placeholder. Without the extraposition, it would read "I wonder whether who is wrong is you." That's the reason, I think, that "is" seems appropriate. "Who" doesn't really have a stated referent. It's an unknown entity. "I wonder if the person who is wrong is you." In this form, I think it's even clearer.
>
> Craig
> ________________________________________
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Scott Carledge [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 12:28 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ATEG Digest - 25 Jan 2012 to 13 Feb 2012 (#2012-19)
>
> I would have said I wonder whether it is you who is wrong. "I" am doing the
> wondering; "it" is the subject of the next clause, "who" of the third
> clause.
> Scott
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of ATEG automatic digest sy
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 12:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: ATEG Digest - 25 Jan 2012 to 13 Feb 2012 (#2012-19)
>
> There are 3 messages totalling 390 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. what is the subject here and what verb does it require? (3)
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:43:20 -0500
> From: Martha Galphin<[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: what is the subject here and what verb does it require?
>
> --_a8d3e850-ca6f-4668-971a-e2dcd3b12e77_
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>
>
> > From the Chronicle Review=2C Feb. 13=2C 2012 Letters to the Editor=20
> February 12=2C 2012
> =09
> Would one be incorrect in writing "you wonder if it is you who are wrong" i=
> nstead of "you wonder if it's an error at all=2C or if=2C in fact=2C it is =
> you who is wrong"?
>
> Thanks=2C=20
> Martha
>
>
>
> =
>
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> --_a8d3e850-ca6f-4668-971a-e2dcd3b12e77_
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> <html>
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>
>
>
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> --></style>
> <div dir=3D"ltr"> From the Chronicle Review=2C Feb. 13=2C 2012 Letters to th=
> e Editor<br><p class=3D"dateline">February 12=2C 2012</p>
> <br>Would one be incorrect in writing "you wonder if it is
> you who are wr= ong" instead of "you wonder if it's an error at all=2C or
> if=2C in fact=2C = it is<em>you</em> who is wrong"?<br><br>Thanks=2C
> <br>Martha<br></div> </div> </div>
> </div></body>
> </html>=
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> --_a8d3e850-ca6f-4668-971a-e2dcd3b12e77_--
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:37:42 +0000
> From: GERALD W WALTON<[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: what is the subject here and what verb does it require?
>
> --_000_C642FBD01D03174BB0A080F49990843A0F786CB3exchangeadolemi_
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> Who is the subject. Since it refers to you, the verb should be are. gww
>
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]
> OHIO.EDU] On Behalf Of Martha Galphin
> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 8:43 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: what is the subject here and what verb does it require?
>
> > From the Chronicle Review, Feb. 13, 2012 Letters to the Editor
>
> February 12, 2012
>
> Would one be incorrect in writing "you wonder if it is you who are wrong" i=
> nstead of "you wonder if it's an error at all, or if, in fact, it is you wh=
> o is wrong"?
>
> Thanks,
> Martha
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface =
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> <body lang=3D"EN-US" link=3D"blue" vlink=3D"purple"> <div
> class=3D"WordSection1"> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><i><span
> style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"=
> ;Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Who</span></i><span st=
> yle=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif&qu=
> ot;;color:#1F497D"> is the subject. Since it refers to<i>you</i>, the verb
> should be<i>are</i>. gww<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span
> style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Ca=
> libri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span><=
> /p>
> <div>
> <div style=3D"border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in =
> 0in 0in"> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b><span
> style=3D"font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"=
> ;Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Assembly=
> for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]]<b>On
> Behalf Of</b>Martha Galphin<br> <b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 13, 2012 8:43
> AM<br> <b>To:</b> [log in to unmask]<br> <b>Subject:</b> what is the
> subject here and what verb does it require?<o:p=
>> </o:p></span></p>
> </div>
> </div>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
> <div>
> <div>
> <div>
> <div>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"> From the Chronicle Review, Feb. 13, 2012 Letters to =
> the Editor<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3D"dateline">February 12,
> 2012<o:p></o:p></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><br> Would one be incorrect in
> writing"you wonder if it is you who are wro= ng" instead of
> "you wonder if it's an error at all, or if, in fac= t, it is
> <em>you</em> who is wrong"?<br> <br> Thanks,<br> Martha<o:p></o:p></p>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:18:12 -0500
> From: Dick Veit<[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: what is the subject here and what verb does it require?
>
> --f46d04182804a1745904b8dfda52
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Martha,
>
> I think you are asking whether it should be "It is you who is wrong" or "It
> is you who are wrong." Let's assume that the stress is on "you" in this
> sentence, as if it were answering the question, "Which one of us is wrong?"
>
> If I were speaking it, the words that would come out of my mouth would
> almost certainly be "It is you who is wrong." But this is one of those cases
> where the more I think about it, the less certain I become.
>
> In favor of "are" is the fact that the antecedent of "who" would seem to be
> "you" and so its verb could be expected to agree with "you." But I don't
> think that applies here or in similar sentences like "It's me who does the
> dishes in our household" (not "do"). How to explain this?
>
> My impressionistic analysis is that in "It is you who is wrong," "who is
> wrong" is the old information in search of an answer. In that sense it
> antedates the new information ("you") and is not altered by the fact that
> the answer happens to be a pronoun that would otherwise not agree with "is."
> Compare that with a quite different sentence like "I know that you, who are
> my best friend, will never betray me." In this latter sentence, "you" is not
> answering a question implicit in the relative clause. The relative clause
> provides new, not old, information, and its verb should agree with the
> antecedent.
>
> Perhaps someone else has a less impressionistic and more lucidly reasoned
> explanation.
>
> Dick
>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 9:43 AM, Martha Galphin
> <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> From the Chronicle Review, Feb. 13, 2012 Letters to the Editor
>>
>> February 12, 2012
>>
>> Would one be incorrect in writing "you wonder if it is you who are wrong"
>> instead of "you wonder if it's an error at all, or if, in fact, it is
>> *you
>> * who is wrong"?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Martha
>>
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> --f46d04182804a1745904b8dfda52
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>
> Martha,<br><br>I think you are asking whether it should be"It is you =
> who is wrong" or"It is you who are wrong." Let's assume=
> that the stress is on"you" in this sentence, as if it were answ=
> ering the question,"Which one of us is wrong?"<br> <br>If I were
> speaking it, the words that would come out of my mouth would = almost
> certainly be"It is you who is wrong." But this is one of = those
> cases where the more I think about it, the less certain I become. =A0=<br>
>
> <br>In favor of"are" is the fact that the antecedent of"wh=
> o" would seem to be"you" and so its verb could be expected =
> to agree with"you." But I don't think that applies here or i=
> n similar sentences like"It's me who does the dishes in our house=
> hold" (not"do"). How to explain this?<br> <br>My
> impressionistic analysis is that in"It is you who is wrong,&qu= ot;
> "who is wrong" is the old information in search of an answer.= In
> that sense it antedates the new information ("you") and is no= t
> altered by the fact that the answer happens to be a pronoun that would ot=
> herwise not agree with"is." Compare that with a quite different =
> sentence like"I know that you, who are my best friend, will never bet=
> ray me." In this latter sentence,"you" is not answering a q=
> uestion implicit in the relative clause. The relative clause provides new, =
> not old, information, and its verb should agree with the antecedent.<br>
> <br>Perhaps someone else has a less impressionistic and more lucidly reason=
> ed explanation.<br><br>Dick<br><br><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mo=
> n, Feb 13, 2012 at 9:43 AM, Martha Galphin<span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D=
> "mailto:[log in to unmask]" target=3D"_blank">[log in to unmask]
> com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
>
> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
> x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
>
>
> <div><div dir=3D"ltr">
>
>
>
> <div dir=3D"ltr">
>
>
> <div dir=3D"ltr">
>
>
> <div dir=3D"ltr"> From the Chronicle Review, Feb. 13, 2012 Letters to the Ed=
> itor<br><p>February 12, 2012</p>
> <br>Would one be incorrect in writing"you wonder if it
> is you who a= re wrong" instead of"you wonder if it's an
> error at all, or = if, in fact, it is<i>you</i> who is
> wrong"?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Martha=<br>
>
> </div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div>
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> --f46d04182804a1745904b8dfda52--
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> ------------------------------
>
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