whom in OED inaccuracy

[Randy Alexander]

On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:01 AM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> Well, Randy should note that the environment for retention of _whom_
> isn't simply "after a preposition." In the example cited, the relevant
> environment is in the environment "after_*most* of_," not a trivial
> distinction.
>
> On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 8:27 PM, Baker, John <JMB at stradley.com> wrote:
>> Â  Â  Â  Â While I think it is quite true that there are some constructions
>> in which "whom" is the natural choice in colloquial speech, I notice
>> that there are many examples in which "who" sounds quite natural, even
>> though it follows a preposition. Â Looking at the MWDEU article on "who,
>> whom," I see the following examples in uses by educated speakers or
>> writers:
>>
>> King Lear: Â  Â  Â Albany: Â Run, run, O, run!
>> Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â Edgar: Â To who, my lord? Â Who has the office?
>>
>> Hamlet: Polonius: Â What is the matter, my lord?
>> Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â Hamlet: Â Between who?
>> Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â  Â Polonius: Â I mean, the matter that you read, my lord?
>>
>> Faulkner: Â  Â  Â  And he said, Well, haven't you got any opinion at all
>> about them? And I said, About who?

John and Wilson, thanks, those are useful distinctions.

--
Randy Alexander
Jilin City, China
My Manchu studies blog:
http://www.bjshengr.com/manchu

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