tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post1637201353423948559..comments2024-03-19T03:21:49.937-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: To Whom It May ConcernLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-49607412937719480862016-04-30T21:07:50.454-04:002016-04-30T21:07:50.454-04:00Good ole Ernestine. (Sniff snort sniff.)Good ole Ernestine. (Sniff snort sniff.)John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-28398535727205752752016-04-30T21:02:36.485-04:002016-04-30T21:02:36.485-04:00Hey, it worked for Lily Tomlin's Ernestine:
&...Hey, it worked for Lily Tomlin's Ernestine:<br /><br />"Is this the party to whom I am speaking?"Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-68393772940262605242016-04-30T19:24:46.524-04:002016-04-30T19:24:46.524-04:00Just got back from a signing about 100 miles south...Just got back from a signing about 100 miles south of here, and boy am I glad to be home. Thanks, Herschel and Eve, for the comments.<br /><br />Herschel, I'm not too surprised to learn that infinitives can now be acceptably split. Our evolving language continues to boldly go where no man has gone before . . .<br /><br />Eve, I agree that the use of "whom," especially when inappropriate, can help with characterization. I probably use "who" inappropriately way too often!<br /><br /><br />John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-53838828604233979822016-04-30T16:32:14.049-04:002016-04-30T16:32:14.049-04:00I like using "whom"; sometimes inappropr...I like using "whom"; sometimes inappropriately. It can tell you a lot about a character. And Janice, I am as one with you on the use of which/that. Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-61680368136298777382016-04-30T12:30:47.875-04:002016-04-30T12:30:47.875-04:00John, you mention split infinitives. I recently l...John, you mention split infinitives. I recently learned that it is not grammatically incorrect to split infinitives. I think it is frowned upon by many editors. But if my source is correct there is no rule. Herschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-80055194146937254882016-04-30T08:08:36.540-04:002016-04-30T08:08:36.540-04:00Hi Janice! Ah yes, the which/that issue. Your co...Hi Janice! Ah yes, the which/that issue. Your comment has reminded me that I want to do a separate column about the many times I've disagreed with my editors on matters of grammar and style. (Alas, they're usually right, but still . . .)John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-40492589519893832892016-04-30T08:01:48.338-04:002016-04-30T08:01:48.338-04:00Well said, Paul. You are of course correct--all t...Well said, Paul. You are of course correct--all this depends on what you're writing and who (whom?) you're writing it for. The fact is, almost all my writing these days IS fairly informal. (Thank goodness.) <br /><br />I too turned off my grammar checker. Frankly, I enjoy splicing commas, fragmenting sentences, and splitting infinitives. At least periodically.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-29223201338001446422016-04-30T07:57:26.094-04:002016-04-30T07:57:26.094-04:00I agree with you that most of the time, at least i...I agree with you that most of the time, at least in fiction, whom is superfluous. I have a different peeve with editors who want to remove the useful 'which' from the language and who insist on 'that' in every case.janice lawnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-90127612904838738492016-04-30T06:53:57.214-04:002016-04-30T06:53:57.214-04:00Great piece, John. But re: any type of grammar, I ...Great piece, John. But re: any type of grammar, I think it depends on what one's writing. If you're doing a dissertation you might want to be more formal. But I know that in my case I turned off Word's grammar checker and never use any of them because I want a more informal, conversational style. So it's okay, of course, to use whom or periodically, etc., it just depends on what you're writing, me thinks :) .Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.com