I was reading my daily nerd stuff on google reader and came across a nerdy post that only nerds find interesting. The title of the article is “Whom Should I Say Is Calling.” It’s a post at thedailywtf and part of a feature of the blog where people submit the little peices of nerd that make them say WTF in their daily routine.

Perhaps, those of you that possess greater skills then I are already judging the poor grammar in the title of the article, but then again… you’re still reading my blog… so you clearly aren’t a grammar warrior. In any case, the message board for this humble article lit up. The subsequent nerd battle was glorious.

Here is are some highlights.

AT:

Voodoo Coder:

Leo:

Voodoo Coder:

ih8u:

NSCoder:
The Real WTF is the misuse of ‘whom’ in the title.

Can we drop the grammar check? I do this too — quietly. I think it’s fun to constantly be testing my mad grammar skillz. It’s like the interweb is Cato to my Inspector Clouseau.

However, I don’t prance around showing off my knowledge.

Seriously…as soon as I read the title of this article I thought “Well crap…whether it’s correct or not, there will be a group of insufferable know-it-alls who will point and laugh to show how sharp and witty they are”

Seriously, ya social mutants: It is intrinsically rude to point out grammatical errors. I am aware that the internet is not at the apex of courtesy, but for chrissake…the grammar checks are getting a little ridiculous around here…

I’d say it’s intrinsically rude to use terrible grammar, myself.

You’re right. If I presented an article in a forum such as this, where the readers are notorious for their knowledge of syntax, it would be incredibly rude of me to not at least attempt some semblance of proper usage and spelling.

However…it is just plain wrong to go on about correcting trivial and common errors. This is as bad as correcting a fragmented sentence or a split infinitive in everyday conversation.

Moreover, the corrections are not being done to educate, or save the writer from embarrassment. They are made with a smug tone to make the correcter feel a little better than the writer.

It is becoming an annoying cliche around here, not unlike the CAPTCHA at the bottom of a comment.

It may, perhaps, be rude to point out grammatical errors in an email or off-the-cuff forum posting. However, the comment here was directed at the author of an article posted for consumption by thousands of readers of a for-profit online publication. It’s not unreasonable to expect the authors of these articles to comprehend and follow the basic grammar rules of their chosen language while mocking the language abuses of others.

Anon Ymous:

snoofle:
Ok folks, simple grammar rule for who/m:Insert “he” or “him” at the first point after who/m where it makes sense. If “he” makes sense, use who; if “him” makes sense, use whom.
Whom [Should I Say (He/Him) is Calling]? –> he –> Who

Whom is it?
Whom [is it (he/him)]? -> him -> Whom
Whom Should I Say is Calling?

Your second example is incorrect.

Correct:
Who is it?
He is it.
It is who?
It is he.

This is an example of predicate nominative, in which the nouns on both sides of the verb are nominative.

A problem can sometimes arise when the two nominatives each take a different form of the verb. In these cases, the verb should agree with the subject (who or what the sentence is directly about).

Correct:
It am I.
I am it.

Incorrect:
It is I.
I is it.

Nerds will be nerds. For more nerdiness, or to taunt nerds, go here.

On the funny meter, this one had me laughing at a level somewhere between milk out yer nose and pee yer pants.