From: Bruce Terry (terry@bible.acu.edu)
Date: Thu Dec 14 1995 - 18:10:15 EST
On Thu, 14 Dec 1995, James D. Ernest wrote:
>I beg the indulgence of list members for a question of English grammar.
>Which is correct (grammatically):
>
>A: The Son of Man is the Messiah whom Jesus claims to be.
> ^^^^
>B: The Son of Man is the Messiah who Jesus claims to be.
> ^^^
>Analogously:
>
>A: Jesus claims to be him.
> ^^^
>B; Jesus claims to be he.
>> ^^
The correct usage is whom and him. The infinitive is a copula, which would
usually take the subjective case, but the infinitive clause is filling an
objective slot of the word claims, making it take the objective case. This
can clearly be seen in the example:
Peter claimed him to be the Messiah.
One would not say in English:
*Peter claimed he to be the Messiah.
Having said that, I must note that although him is not crumbling before he,
whom is being replaced in informal, and now to a certain extent even in
formal, English by who. In two or three more decades, who will be both the
subjective and objective forms and whom will be an archaic objective form.
And Ellen Adams replied:
>Concerning who vs. whom, I agree with you and Carl. It is the nominative.
>The -to be- can be a bit deceptive, appearing to be a prepositional
>phrase which would take the objective, but rather being an infinitive
>verb phrase with a linking verb that takes the predicate nominative.
Rather, the "object" of a linking verb takes the *same* case as its subject.
>In Hebrews 5:5 we see a linking verb as an infinitive taking the
>nominative case:
>
> ouc heaton edoxasen genhqhnai arcierea....
Where?
********************************************************************************
Bruce Terry E-MAIL: terry@bible.acu.edu
Box 8426, ACU Station Phone: 915/674-3759
Abilene, Texas 79699 Fax: 915/674-3769
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