[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by Pete in AZ

~sigh~

That post sounds awfully condescending and arrogant.

Sometimes it is just too easy.

What was the line? Oh yeah, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." This seems like a remarkable turn of events.

Someone pointed out this is bad grammar. It is, but at first glance it seems correct.

The subject of the verb "cast" is the nominative pronoun "he."

But on closer review:

"Cast" is not the verb in this sentence. It's an infinitive, with the sign of the infinitive ("to") understood.

Since the subject of an infinitive is in the objective case (strange but true), the correct pronoun is "him."

Let (Allow) him who is without sin (to) cast the first stone.

And, you gotta admit, "let him" sounds better than "let he."

A sentence without an adjective clause (who is without sin) makes the point clearer:

Let her make the money.
Let them run the company.
Let him cast the first stone.

Finally, here's a sentence that shows how the subject of an infinitive, even with the sign, must be in the objective case:

I wanted her to go. (Naturally, we wouldn't say: I wanted she to go.)

That sentence, parsed, is: Subject (I) Verb (wanted) Direct Object (her to go).

Ah.... He didn't want "her." He wanted "her to go."

Truth to tell, this is more fun than discussing verbal obstruction.

Grammar: Now that's where it's at.

Oh, does that sentence end with a preposition?

Churchill said: "That's something up with which I will not put!"