“Who’s Who”
Sir, —Yesterday “Random Reminder” wondered if “Who’s Who” should not have been “Who’s Whom.” The title of that tantalising book with its endless stream of characters, nona of whom one gets really to know before he bows out of the story, leaves no room for “whom.” Correctly, only “who” will do. The test of these “is,” “am,” “were,” etc., words is that if the sentence were turned back to front it must still be correct grammar. For instance, “Who on earth is that gorgeous creature?” “Oh, she is Pant” Back to front it becomes correctly, if strangely to many of us, “Pam is she,” not “Pam is her,” for if that were then turned front to back again it would read, obviously wrongly, “Her is Pam” —and she wouldn’t like that.—Yours, etc., RECREATION: QUIBBLING OVER WORDS. July 10, 1968.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 16
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141“Who’s Who” Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 16
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