I know. I know. Two days of grammar in a row is quite annoying.But, I have a question--and I was not satisfied with the answer google gave me.
Question:
When answering the phone if the person asks for you do you say, "This is she." OR "This is her."
I was always taught that you were to say "This is she"--which admittedly felt a bit unnatural to a hick from the sticks...but I obliged.
The other night Savvy answered the phone and it was her activity day leader.
Savvy
MiMi says, "Is Savvy there?"
Savvy says, "Crunch. Ummm. Yah. This is her."
As I listened to my darling daughter, I decided it was high time for a refresher course on proper phone etiquette.
Sheesh.
No eating on the phone! I told her the importance of saying "yes" instead of "yah". I begged for a little "hello" rather than "hullo". No "ummm's" allowed. And for the love! Please say "this is she" rather than "this is her."
She seemed to take it in stride..although she did mention that the "this is she" sounded "WEIRD!"
A couple of days later, I was teaching a grammar lesson to my darling 4th graders. The lesson happened to be on proper pronoun usage. It taught about the difference between object pronouns and subject pronouns.
As I taught the lesson, I realized that "This is SHE" may not be correct.
The rule is if the pronoun being used is an object pronoun then you use the word "HER" if it is a subject pronoun you use the word "SHE".
What the?
So, Loyal Readers
...Answer me this: In the sentence "This is SHE/HER"...is SHE/HER the subject of the sentence or the object of the sentence?
5 comments:
I was taught "This is she" but I still think it sounds weird. I'm thinking you should teach your kids the Napoleon Dynamite way - caller: "Can I speak to Napoleon?"
Napoleon: "You already are."
Hey lady, it's about time we were all educated... your fans await.
Ummm, this is too hard. Want to go to Sonic for Route 44 DC!
Yes Jo--when in doubt consult the Napoleon Dynamite handbook...why didn't I think of that?
Auntie G--if its an education they desire...my fans have come to the wrong place--unless they'd like an education on how to drink DC whilst googling things I don't understand(hehe).
Mary S.--I thought the same thing after I gave my grammar lesson. But, when I googled it (google is the knower of all)--I found this answer.
“This is she” is grammatically correct. The verb “to be” acts as a linking verb, equating subject and object. So this is she and she is this; “she” and “this” are one and the same, interchangeable, and to be truly interchangeable they must both play the same grammatical role—that of the subject."
HuH?
Oh well. I think I'll stick with your idea of, "This is Nicole" -- mucho easier.
Oh--and Mary E. -- you name the time and day and I will be ready with bells on for the Route 44 DC.
I was always taught "This is she" as well but it doesn't feel right, dos it? Here is what I found on "PainintheEnglish.com:
"This is she" vs. "This is her"
A common example is the phrase “This is she.” used to answer a telephone. 'She' is the nominative form of the word, so it cannot be used to describe somebody who is the object of a sentence (in this example, 'this' would be the subject). The correct way to phrase the example would be “This is her.”, though most people prefer the familiar businesslike shorthand “Speaking.”
See suite101.com.
From another site, this was the response:
“This is she” is grammatically correct. The verb “to be” acts as a linking verb, equating subject and object. So this is she and she is this; “she” and “this” are one and the same, interchangeable, and to be truly interchangeable they must both play the same grammatical role—that of the subject.
See press.uchicago.edu
I am quite confused! I believe “This is her” is correct because it is understood that “speaking” is simply omitted; thus, we know the speaker is implying “This is her speaking” when she answers “This is her.” After all, we ask to speak to her. When she answers that she's the one who had answered the call, she's (obviously) speaking at the time. Therefore, it is her speaking.
Hee hee. Loved the post.
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