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Whose vs Who's

  • 04-11-2012 11:14pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭


    I know that the rules of grammar state that (with regards to ownership) 'whose' is the correct one to use and 'who's' is incorrect - but I always find myself writing 'who's!'

    Really, 'who's' should be the grammatically correct one, in my humble opinion, and 'whose' is merely a bastardised version!

    Are there any grammar rules you disagree with, or find yourself at war with?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,693 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    They have completely different functions, neither is incorrect in the proper context.


  • Registered Users Posts: 97 ✭✭reginald


    Whore's and Ho's


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭EoghanIRL


    reginald wrote: »
    Whore's and Ho's
    What he said


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭MaxSteele


    Who gives a flying f*ck ?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    MaxSteele wrote: »
    Who gives a flying f*ck ?

    Me.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭EoghanIRL


    Maybe this will help

    whose – the possessive form of whom.

    “The director, whose shares were recently acquired by the company, resigned last week.”

    who’s – a contraction of who is. When you see the apostrophe, think “who is”.

    “The plaintiff, who’s suing the defendant, is represented by a very competent counsel.”


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    Blay wrote: »
    They have completely different functions, neither is incorrect in the proper context.

    Can you give an example of when "who's" can be used to question ownership?


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Can you give an example of when "who's" can be used to question ownership?

    "Who's ("who is") the owner of this pen?"

    As stated above, "who's" is a contraction of "who is" and on occasion, "who has."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    EoghanIRL wrote: »
    Maybe this will help

    whose – the possessive form of whom.

    “The director, whose shares were recently acquired by the company, resigned last week.”

    who’s – a contraction of who is. When you see the apostrophe, think “who is”.

    “The plaintiff, who’s suing the defendant, is represented by a very competent counsel.”

    That's true, but I'm referring solely to the possessive form. As your post states, "whose" is correct, but I always find myself writing "who's."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,693 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Can you give an example of when "who's" can be used to question ownership?

    If you read my post carefuly...real carefully you'll see I said 'proper context'..look again if you didn't spot that. Anybody who uses "who's" as a possessive is a fcking idiot.

    'Who's with me on that one?'

    :pac:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,166 ✭✭✭Fr_Dougal


    Whose your favourite of all the "Doctor Whose".

    Makes sense when you think about it really.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,080 ✭✭✭EoghanIRL


    Blay wrote: »

    If you read my post carefuly...real carefully you'll see I said 'proper context'..look again if you didn't spot that. Anybody who uses "who's" as a possessive is a fcking idiot.

    'Who's with me on that one?'

    :pac:
    Lol, me . Whose with me ? :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    Blay wrote: »
    If you read my post carefuly...real carefully you'll see I said 'proper context'..look again if you didn't spot that. Anyobody who uses "who's" as a possessive is a fcking idiot.

    'Who's with me on that one?'

    :pac:

    I am fully aware that "who's" is a term that exists. If you look super carefully - super SUPER carefully - at my post, you'll see that I never stated otherwise.

    I was referring to one context only - possessive / ownership.

    You seem to think I was asking if "who's" is a word that exists at all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,497 ✭✭✭ezra_pound


    whirlpool wrote: »

    That's true, but I'm referring solely to the possessive form. As your post states, "whose" is correct, but I always find myself writing "who's."

    Yes. Whose is only used in that possessive form. All other times you're really just abbreviating who is as who's.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭whirlpool


    Okay lads, thanks for your replies. But I am fully aware of what the rule is. But congrats on responding telling us all what the rule is.

    My question was - are there any grammar rules that you know are right, but just feel wrong to you personally, and as a result you keep using them wrongly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Okay lads, thanks for your replies. But I am fully aware of what the rule is. But congrats on responding telling us all what the rule is.

    My question was - are there any grammar rules that you really just personally feel for whatever reason are wrong, and as a result you keep using them wrongly.

    I can't imagine would feel like that - English grammar is a very intricate, elegant system with a sound logic underpinning it.
    Sure, there are quite a few irregularities, but even most of them make sense within the overall system.

    There are a few areas of grammar wherein I think it's not very important to be exactly correct, but there's nothing about grammar I'd disagree with. It's stayed the way it has for hundreds of years for a reason: it works.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,497 ✭✭✭ezra_pound


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Okay lads, thanks for your replies. But I am fully aware of what the rule is. But congrats on responding telling us all what the rule is.

    My question was - are there any grammar rules that you know are right, but just feel wrong to you personally, and as a result you keep using them wrongly.

    Well you also stated that you disagree with the rules and think that who's should be used for whose. This implies that you don't get that the apostrophe is the abbreviated i of is.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 135 ✭✭caste_in_exile


    I always check, if a woman is taken before introducing myself I ask the room "Whose who" and I suggest u similarly get some class, folks...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,914 ✭✭✭✭Xavi6


    This is like that other thread where some fecker disliked 'Your / You're' :mad:

    Your 'humble opinion' is wrong.


  • Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Stop using contractions for a month and your english will improve.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,893 ✭✭✭Davidius


    's for possession doesn't really seem to be done with the most used pronouns in writing though, ex: his and its (also yours, hers, theirs which comes from adding 's). I don't think this is so much the grammar itself as much as it is asking for the writing system to change how it marks a certain feature of grammar. The most used possessive pronouns don't seem to take apostrophes in writing.

    In principle "whose" is "who +'s " probably (with 's being the possessive clitic), just as "its" is "it + 's " and "yours" is "your + 's ". Maybe we could start giving them apostrophes. It'd make 'his' feel like a freak.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Scanlas The 2nd


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Okay lads, thanks for your replies. But I am fully aware of what the rule is. But congrats on responding telling us all what the rule is.

    My question was - are there any grammar rules that you know are right, but just feel wrong to you personally, and as a result you keep using them wrongly.

    No, why do you feel whose and who's is wrong?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭mathepac


    Fr_Dougal wrote: »
    Whose your favourite of all the "Doctor Whose".

    Makes sense when you think about it really.
    Not to me I'm afraid. I'd be inclined to write "Who's your favourite of all the "Doctor Whos?" or even "Who's your favourite of all the "Doctors Who?", both with the question mark at the end signifying a real question rather than the stupid antipodean interrogative with the rising inflection at the end of a sentence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,166 ✭✭✭Fr_Dougal


    mathepac wrote: »
    Not to me I'm afraid. I'd be inclined to write "Who's your favourite of all the "Doctor Whos?" or even "Who's your favourite of all the "Doctors Who?", both with the question mark at the end signifying a real question rather than the stupid antipodean interrogative with the rising inflection at the end of a sentence.

    :rolleyes:


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,576 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I will never say "aren't I".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    MaxSteele wrote: »
    Who gives a flying f*ck ?

    Pedants and punctilious ****, generally.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Or people used to reading "bukes" that get slightly confused when they see improper English*



    *probably 5 mistakes in that sentence alone.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,258 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    whirlpool wrote: »
    Can you give an example of when "who's" can be used to question ownership?

    "There is Doctor Who's Tardis"


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    I will never say "aren't I".

    It always sounds wrong to my ear actually, and I never say it too, though I know it is grammatically correct.

    If it came up in class I'd teach it as the correct form, but in everyday speech I've no problem with an "am I not?" or even an "amn't I?" Particularly because I'm sure the main reason behind "aren't I" being strictly correct is because "amn't I" sounded a bit common to some.


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