Something I see botched an awful lot is the usage of 'who', 'whose' and 'whom'. Earlier today, whilst browsing a few blogs, I came across an interesting article by C.J. Cherryh, who aside from being notable as having the world's most ugly website and face, is a pretty prolific and established author.

While the article itself covers a whole variety of things, but the part that I particularly liked was her summation of the rules concerning the use of who, whose and whom.

Anyway, thought it might be useful for you guys, it certainly has been to me. If you get a chance, read the article, a few of the things in there might surprise you if you're just setting out, not a native English speaker, or just a bit of a spack like me.

Then again, it's hardly comprehensive and intrinsic.

 

Now if only people who want to add an "old" flavor to their fics could learn the fucking difference between thou, thee, thy, and thine, as well as the -(s)t and -th endings to Early Modern English verbs.

Since I suppose there are those here who don't know the difference, I'll explain:

Thou is used to indicate the subject as in:

Thou art a fiend - "You are a fiend" in current English.
​

Thee is used to indicate the object or indirect object:

I summoned thee to my chambers to speak about matters secret.I thought that he gaveth the watch to thee.​

Thy is used to indicate a possessive:

That is thy watch, not mine.
​

Thine is used in the same way that one would use mine, ours, or yours, however, like a and an, it is used in place of thy before vowel sounds and words that begin with an H:

I say that the loot is thine for the taking.

That is thine animal, not mine.

O England, thine history is as rich as thy kings.
​

Verbs that agree with a second-person, singular subject - thou - take the ending -(e)(s)t:

Thou behavest as a baboon.

Dost thou not eat meat on Fridays?

Havest thou a shilling to spare?
​

Verbs that agree with a third-person, singular subject - he, she, or it - take the ending -(e)th.

He knoweth not what he does.

She giveth freely of her bountiful bosom.

It doth not move.
​

It hurt my eyes, for example, when I saw a fic titled, "I giveth". >_< It's "I give," dumbshit! You might as well have just said "I gives" - the modern equivalent of "I giveth".

 

@enembee I feel that "who" has expanded in usage. I say "Who do I see?" and think nothing of it, so I don't find it a turn off. The other examples are uncommon constructions, but it's nice to see them right.

 

I feel that these are still important grammatical rules when dealing with purebloods, well-educated or upper-class Britons.

 

It may have been a while since I read the books, but why are "well-educated or upper class Britons" in the same speaking 'level' as the purebloods? I've never seen any evidence that proves that pureblood=aristocrat. Certainly useful for when you just gotta know, but knowing the "who" vs "whom" argument won't make or break a fic for me.

P.S. don't languages evolve? Fishes is a word now, despite my english teachers telling me for years that it wasn't. Aint as well.

 

Their social standing, corruption, money, big ancestral houses, JKR was blatantly setting them up to the upper-class suppressing the hard working, honest lower classes.

It goes with the territory of being British and having money.

Almost universally accepted as far as fanon goes.