THAT VS. WHO: The Politics of Linguistics

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carol-maric/that-vs-who-brthe-politic_b_100292.html

This piece might be restored. Please feel free to read all the reviews below. Thank You All !

Reviews

Speaking of politics, you're careful not to offend those for whom "that" has replaced "who". Next time you should write a piece on "who" vs. "whom", or maybe "so-and-so and I" vs. "so-and-so and me" -- both huge pet peeves of mine.

Hmm, I'm afraid the above appears somewhat sarcastic... Well, it's not. I enjoyed your story immensely.

[Kiwi Dave]

Wow! Full on. It makes my rather flippant review of the Transformers seem rather weak in comparison...

...and THAT is a fact

[Rain]

Carol..
I have never seen someone write so many words and pass it off as deep philosophical thought.
You speak of freedom , yet are enslaved by two simple words. You need to relax. Then again,900 hundred people can't be all wrong. :)
There is more to this..than "that." Ray

[Lisa Verdon]

Have you ever read "The Abolition of Man" by C.S. Lewis? You might like it--if you haven't. I think people, for the most part, seem to be stuck in this "hurried" form of communication (orally speaking, that is). It appears that the English language is falling victim to our rushed society.
I would like to add that I find your writing to be quite brilliant and intense.

[Kali]

I once had an English teacher who tried to teach us her version of the who/that usage. According to her teachings, 'who' should be used in the case of a singular, identified person; 'that' should be used in the case of groups or anonymous individuals. As follows:
Jaime is one of those people who...
Politicians are the type that...

Personally I think her theory was flawed, but it does reflect a bit of the type of person she is.
Perhaps her distinction highlights the average person's usage as well. Maybe people who turn 'who's' into 'that's' are the same people who fail to recognize anyone as human unless they are part of their little closed little world.

[Robert Luna]

This was such an incredible reading and i am damn near at a lost for words to tell you how this made me feel and think. But only nearly.

This was very well thought out and even if it at times read like a rant which i love rants you get to see almost the inner workings of a mind. But you executed a plan with a purpose a slew of thoughts and ideas. I thought everything you said was right on the mark and really conveyed across perfectly.
This was a true joy to read and it will stick with me for a long time thank you for that.

Great Job!!!

[Heather B. Millett With..]

Who are They? A particular favorite of my own. Dehumanizing speech allows US to depersonalize THEM. THEY arent real and WE are in Control of things. Survival of the filthiest. Heinein said, " The first sign of a deteriorating culture is rudeness." The meek truly shall inheret the earth, no one with conscience wants it after what THEY will do to it. THAT is all I have to say about THAT. HB

[Phil King, Sr.]

Begs for more talk/stories on grammar!

[Aka; Donnie (ramone) Ka..]

Wow. this isn't review this is just so I can add as a favorite.
language defines/shapes thought and thought defines/shapes language so does language define/shape language? taken further into seeminly absurd regions; does thought define/shape thought? I believe the answer is YES and absurdity YES!

[Brandon Lloyd Massey]

Nothing more needs to be said. Very nice, Carol. The only way to dig ourselves out of this linguistic hole is education. Educate, inform, and watch the change come...slowly but surely.

[Blackbirdsong]

This has always been one of my pet peeves, but I never expected to see it so eloquently illustrated before.

I especially enjoyed how you concluded this.

"The Turk who murdered the Armenian that; The Nazi who murdered the Jewish that; The Jew who murdered the Muslim that; The Arabs who murdered The American World Trade Center that; The Americans who murdered the _______ that . . . .

Who always wants to win.

The _______ who will murder the _______ that.
The _______ that will murder the _______ that?

Wars kill linguistic distinctions."

What a wonderful way to sum up the linguistic issue while also highlighting the bigger picture.