Awkward words
 

Do any of you find certain words to be awkward...don't know when it is proper to use? My trouble maker is the word "whom". Don't like it so I don't use it...although I just did. 😀

I do have problems with whom. And have to think about effect/affect.

I thought this post was going to be about words we don't like. My least favorite work is 'bifurcate'.

Here's a helpful tip I always told my English students: use "whom" where you could use "him". Use "who" where you'd use "he" .

Examples:

1. To whom should I write this $5,000 check? To him? Really, I should mail this check to him??? You must be out of your mind! I'd rather give it to whomever won't waste it on donuts!

2. Who ate the last donut? He ate the last donut?

Thanks for the hint zozee.

They must have been some good donuts!!!

Zozee, you just violated your own rule. "I'd rather give it to whomever won't waste it on donuts!" should be whoever. He won't waste it on donuts, therefore give it to whoever won't waste it on donuts.

That one is tricky, and I admit I had to look it up. The use of whomever/whoever is based on the dependent clause. http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoever.asp

I think more and more people are using whom when they should use who. And if those donuts are being passed around, you know who wants some. (Who = me, but in this case *I* want some.)

i like your 'hint'

You're right! I DID violate the rule. I knew it didn't look right, but was thinking "give it to him" and I substituted "whom", forgetting that whom was in a dependent clause. Darn those dependent clause.

Awkward moment here. Touche'! :( Thanks for catching it, though. Seriously.

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One word I never get right the first time is "sarcophagus". It always comes out "car-sophagus"--like the love child of an automobile and an esophagus. Good thing it's not a part of my daily vernacular now, but when I was teaching fifth and sixth graders a unit on ancient Egyptian civilization, I used it quite a bit.

There was one day I took two empty cardboard guitar cases (my hubby plays) that were the perfect size and shape for a 5th grader to fit into as a sarcophagus. The two teams had to choose one of their members to be the mummy. The others wrapped him in toilet paper. I was cheering for each team, "Hurry! Wrap him up and put him in the carsophagus! Go! Go!"

Mine is the word receipt. My mother, who had poor grammar, pronounced it like REE-seat, so that is the way I learned it. My daughters keep telling me it should be re-SEAT.