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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Infinitive question

"I do not know (who, whom) to believe."
Which is it and why?
  

Top answer

[/nq] Either are acceptable in the objective case. However, some consider the use of "whom" to be an affectation. And some have a "better safe than sorry" approach because it is far worse to use "whom" incorrectly than it is to use "who" in the objective case, "whom" should be entirely dispensed with.

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12 Answers
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@corp.supernews.com:
[nq:1]"I do not know (who, whom) to believe." Which is it and why?[/nq]
Either are acceptable in the objective case.
However, some consider the use of "whom" to be an affectation. And some have a "better safe than sorry" approach because it is far worse to use "whom" incorrectly than it is to use "who" in the objective case, "whom" should be entirely dispensed with
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[nq:1]@corp.supernews.com:[/nq]
[nq:2]"I do not know (who, whom) to believe." Which is it and why?[/nq]
[nq:1]Either are acceptable in the objective case.[/nq]
BZZT. "Either are acceptable." I don't criticize these things anymore, just note them in passing.
Interesting issue of terminology as well. Morphologically, only "whom" is in the objective case. By definition. I think
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[nq:2]@corp.supernews.com: Either are acceptable in the objective case.[/nq]
[nq:1]Interesting issue of terminology as well. Morphologically, only "whom" is in the objective case.[/nq]
I dunno.. Seems to me that if "who" comes to be used regularly in constructions parallel to where "him", "them", "us", &c. are used, then "who" is ipso facto in the objective case. Nu? English doesn't have a
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What do you mean "either is acceptable in the objective case"? Only whom is in the objective case.
Who is nominative, same as "he, she, we, they". Whom is accusative, ame as "him, her, us, them". So use who when you can chage the sentence around and use one of the pronouns in the nominative case and use "whom" when you can change the sentence around and use one of the pronouns in the accusativ
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Do infinitives have subjects? I don't think so. It's not a conjugated form.\ of the verb. Maybe someone else can clarify this point. As far as who/whom goes, I wonder if you read my answer where I mention subject and object pronouns.
Let's try again..see if you can turn the sentence around (still using the infinitive) so that you can plug in he or him. Use WHO (please forgive the capitals), wh
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[nq:2]Do infinitives have subjects? I don't think so. It's not ... When you use who/whom you don't. I hope this helps.[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, I agree with you, but I am getting responses here and at alt.english.usage that appear to contradict what you are saying and I agree with. thanks[/nq]
I don't think that there were any posts that disagreed with the above. There were some posts indicating th
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[nq:2]I appreciate the answers I have received, but I am ... world could it be objective if it is a subject?[/nq]
[nq:1]Do infinitives have subjects? I don't think so. It's not a conjugated form of the verb. Maybe someone else can clarify this point.[/nq]
They can indeed - but (as far as I can tell) only when the entire infinitive phrase is the object of some other verb or "for" or somethi
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[nq:1]Do infinitives have subjects? I don't think so. It's not a conjugatedform.\ of the verb. Maybe someone else can clarify ... you know the gender and number of the person. When you usewho/whom you don't. I hope this helps. bye gfc[/nq]
From a section called "Subjects of Verbals"at
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