Sunday, February 10, 2013

"Who-Whom?" (and Beyond) 3


       And finally, here's a tricky, tough nut:

       "(He/him) who doesn't speak, God doesn't hear." 

        It isn't strictly speaking a "who/whom" question but poses the same issue, i.e., whether the doubtful word is a subject or an object.
     
       Changing the word order, "God doesn't hear him who doesn't speak."  You wouldn't say, "God doesn't hear he." Peculiarly, in this saying, the first word is the object of the last word. 

       And please note in contrast with my tricky one that "She who laughs last, laughs best."  And now you know why.  Don't you?

       In both these examples, however, neutral gender language would be best.  "The one who doesn't speak, God doesn't hear."  "The one who laughs last, laughs best."

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