# Dopers are banned from using "whomever"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 27, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659 "2010-01-27T16:57:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659/81 "2010-01-30T04:55:04Z")

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> [@MitzeKatze](#):
>
> But on second thought maybe my little I/me rant should stay between you and I. (Okay, even typing that on purpose made me cringe a bit. ;))

During a scramble for bunk choice while arriving in Iraq, I left a duffel bag on a bed I wanted. I came back to find, scrawled on the bottom, “I told you this was Jimmy and I’s room!”

It’s still there, as a permanent reminder that other people are stupid.

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659/82 "2010-01-30T05:01:32Z")

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> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> b) Predicate Nominative. **Incorrect; subject of noun clause “whoever is Dad.”**  
> c) Subject of “to make”. **Correct; however, subjects of infinitive phrases properly take objective case.**

b) But it’s still “whoever”, so the OP stands. I called it a predicate nominative because I read it as “Dad is whoever”, not “whoever is Dad”. As in, “Mom claims (that) Dad is whoever (or Jim, or Bob).”

Take the statement “It’s Jim that Mom claims Dad is.” vs “It’s Jim that Mom claims is Dad.”

c) I had to Gaudere myself because I’m a law-abiding Internet citizen.

I claim 4/5 points. You have insulted my honor. Whaddaya say, pistols at dawn?

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659/83 "2010-01-30T12:15:53Z")

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> [@RickJay](#):
>
> Let’s get a fucking handle on “its” and “it’s” before we go this far.

Fucking Handle…ooooooooh…

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**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659/84 "2010-01-30T14:03:58Z")

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Whom dat? Drew dat!

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-are-banned-from-using-whomever/526659/85 "2010-02-03T04:41:08Z")

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> [@Heckity](#):
>
> Sorry **Big T** but -
> 
> shouldn’t that be people **who** do not?

Since I was intentionally trying to use “proper” English when I wrote that, I guess I’ll have to concede your correction. I just hope my OCD doesn’t make me obsess about that later.

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