[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:01.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- [Voiceover] Hello grammarians.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.15,0:00:05.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Welcome to one the thorniest\Nfights in English usage today.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.22,0:00:06.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question of whether\Nor not you should use
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.84,0:00:10.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who or whom in a sentence\Nas a relative pronoun.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.76,0:00:14.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So there's this basic idea\Nthat who is the subject form,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.43,0:00:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and whom is the object form.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.59,0:00:18.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which means that if we're talking about
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.18,0:00:21.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,someone who is the doer, then we say who.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.86,0:00:24.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As in, the spy who loved me.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.13,0:00:26.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As opposed to someone who\Nis the doee, the object.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.99,0:00:29.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As in, the spy whom I loved.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.58,0:00:32.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see, cause in this\Nsentence, who is the subject.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.10,0:00:34.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in this sentence, I is the subject.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.35,0:00:35.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Me is the object.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.84,0:00:37.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And whom is the object.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.14,0:00:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I loved whom?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.25,0:00:41.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this sentence, I am doing the loving.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.04,0:00:45.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this sentence it is the\Nspy who is doing the loving.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.35,0:00:48.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the basic rule.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.70,0:00:51.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, this does not adequately reflect
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.04,0:00:52.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the way our culture actually uses
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.96,0:00:56.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and has used whom or who for some time.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.38,0:00:59.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In many cases it has become permissible
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.34,0:01:02.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to use who as an object.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.86,0:01:04.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let me show you what I mean.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.86,0:01:05.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the thing to remember
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.95,0:01:08.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that the basic rule\Nis a one way street.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.96,0:01:11.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because the way language is changing,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.04,0:01:13.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whom is on its way out.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.69,0:01:18.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I imagine in another 50, 75\Nyears we won't be using it all.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.68,0:01:19.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is that sad?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.81,0:01:21.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sure, a little bit.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.25,0:01:24.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean I'm sad that nobody\Nevery uses the pronoun whoso.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.76,0:01:29.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As in, whoso pulleth this\Nsword from this stone,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.62,0:01:32.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is rightwise born king of England.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.61,0:01:33.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't use that anymore.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.81,0:01:35.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's old fashioned.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.51,0:01:37.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now we say, whoever.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.78,0:01:41.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's ok.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.05,0:01:42.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we know that the basic rule
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.13,0:01:44.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that you use who as a subject
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.15,0:01:46.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and whom as an object.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.03,0:01:49.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well you can also now\Nuse who as an object.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.41,0:01:53.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only thing you can't do\Nis whom is not a subject.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.44,0:01:57.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the thing you need to remember,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.95,0:02:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that whom's use is not expanding.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.55,0:02:01.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is contracting.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.85,0:02:04.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who is taking over some of whom's duties.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.82,0:02:08.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let's go back to that spy example.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.47,0:02:11.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here are the four\Npossible options, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.15,0:02:13.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The spy who loved me,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.01,0:02:14.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the spy whom loved me,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.83,0:02:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the spy who I loved,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.59,0:02:18.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the spy whom I loved.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.51,0:02:23.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now of these, only this one is incorrect.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.03,0:02:26.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because we're trying to\Nuse whom as a subject.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.33,0:02:28.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But here, the spy who I loved,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.23,0:02:29.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where who is being an object,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.98,0:02:33.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by the informal rules of our\Ngrammar today, this is fine.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.88,0:02:36.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Either of these is fine.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.79,0:02:40.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only one that's not\Nfine is this guy right here.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.71,0:02:42.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The spy whom loved me.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.76,0:02:45.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because this language change\Nis going in one direction.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.83,0:02:50.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's in the direction of\Nwhom being used less often.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.32,0:02:53.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So whom never expands from\Nits original position.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.09,0:02:54.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who does.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.93,0:02:57.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the next time you're\Npuzzling over what to do
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.23,0:03:00.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the event of the sentence\Nwho are you talking to,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.25,0:03:02.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and whether or not this pronoun here
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.13,0:03:05.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,should be who or whom,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.18,0:03:08.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's really an issue of tone\Nrather than correctness.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.77,0:03:13.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because both possibilies\Nare equally understandable.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.28,0:03:15.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, technically if you\Nwanted to be very correct
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.82,0:03:20.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you would say whom are you talking to,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.64,0:03:24.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or you are talking to whom,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.85,0:03:27.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because whom is the object\Nof this preposition.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.23,0:03:30.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's to whom, and so therefore\Nwe would use the object form.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.75,0:03:34.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you find that when you\Nseparate it out in this question,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.25,0:03:36.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you put the to at the end,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.67,0:03:39.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the whom question\Nparticle at the beginning,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.23,0:03:41.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this m just kind of falls away.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.19,0:03:43.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cause we're more likely to use whom
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.63,0:03:47.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it's immediately\Npreceded by a preposition.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.01,0:03:51.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But otherwise, it's probably\Nmore likely gonna be who.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.55,0:03:54.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is why it's not\Nthat big of a deal to say
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.03,0:03:55.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who are you talking to.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.55,0:03:56.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not technically correct,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.86,0:04:00.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's been used for\Nso long that it's fine.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.51,0:04:02.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You are talking to who
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.31,0:04:06.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a little bit more\Nformal of a construction,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.29,0:04:09.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and therefore you would\Nprobably want to use whom.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.87,0:04:14.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Saying you are talking\Nto who is not as common.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.59,0:04:17.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in this wild swamp of rule breaking
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.69,0:04:20.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there is one hard grammar\Nrule to pay attention to.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.83,0:04:24.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's just never use whom as a subject.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.69,0:04:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The role of whom in our\Nconstellation of pronouns
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.63,0:04:31.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is decreasing, not expanding.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.15,0:04:33.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who is taking over whom.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.81,0:04:35.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And since who is the subject,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.57,0:04:38.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whom is not moving into that space.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.17,0:04:40.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whom is the object pronoun,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.07,0:04:43.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you use it when you're feeling fancy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.27,0:04:44.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can learn anything.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.77,0:04:45.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,David out.