Can I use “whom” to refer to a non-person?
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Person one says:
I'm switching my phone carrier from company X.
Person two replies:
To whom are you switching?
It feels wrong to me, but I don't know why or what the grammatical justification is.
Is it grammatically correct, or must "whom" only be used to refer to a person (i.e., with whom did you speak on the phone?"
grammar sentence whom reference
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
add a comment |
0
Person one says:
I'm switching my phone carrier from company X.
Person two replies:
To whom are you switching?
It feels wrong to me, but I don't know why or what the grammatical justification is.
Is it grammatically correct, or must "whom" only be used to refer to a person (i.e., with whom did you speak on the phone?"
grammar sentence whom reference
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago
add a comment |
0
0
0
1
Person one says:
I'm switching my phone carrier from company X.
Person two replies:
To whom are you switching?
It feels wrong to me, but I don't know why or what the grammatical justification is.
Is it grammatically correct, or must "whom" only be used to refer to a person (i.e., with whom did you speak on the phone?"
grammar sentence whom reference
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
Person one says:
I'm switching my phone carrier from company X.
Person two replies:
To whom are you switching?
It feels wrong to me, but I don't know why or what the grammatical justification is.
Is it grammatically correct, or must "whom" only be used to refer to a person (i.e., with whom did you speak on the phone?"
grammar sentence whom reference
grammar sentence whom reference
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
asked 5 hours ago
Later_72Later_72
32
32
Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago
Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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Collectives are sometimes seen as single entities and sometimes as the people who make them up - hence my bank are still dealing with it etc. In that use you are referring to people, so who is completely appropriate. If it seems off, it may because on some level you see the my bank are still dealing with it construction as informal, and sense a clash between that and to whom. If you said who are you switching to? nobody would bat an eyelid.
– Minty
5 hours ago
@Minty I agree with your last sentence, but is it definitely correct to use "whom" here? or is it just more appropriate to use "which"?
– Later_72
4 hours ago
Definitely according to me. I wouldn't say it because I don't really use the word whom. I would say who. If you go with whom it's going to sound funny to lots of people. If you use who it might annoy a few misguided pedants who still live with their mums. That's a plus in my book, but if your goal is to be safe from pedant attacks, you should use which and avoid stranding the to. That will give you a very stilted and unnatural sentence, but you pays your money and you takes your choice.
– Minty
1 hour ago