To whom it may concern

Posted by Henry on December 06, 2003

In Reply to: Who and whom posted by S.R. on December 05, 2003

: : : Keith Jackson, a prominent American sports announcer had a dilemma a couple of weeks ago during a college football broadcast. While surmising possible matchups in the upcoming holiday football season, he said, "Whoever gets whom." He then corrected himself and said, "Whomever gets who." Are they not both incorrect or am I nitpicking here. I think it should be "Whomever gets whom."

: : It's whoever gets whom.
: : Subject verb object

: : Who is always used for the subject of a sentence (in this case we are talking about the whoever that is going to receive whom).

: : Whom is is used for the direct object of a sentence.

: Sorry for the brain freeze and susequent typo... I knew that's what it was.

Who and whom are a constant cause of confusion. I'm sure the use of whom will decrease, although it may survive in established phrases such as 'to whom it may concern'.