Extreme confusion: who or whom?

Question

With certain interrogative constructions I can't, try as I might, understand why "who" is the pronoun, and not "whom".

An example from Fowler's: "You mean Loesby?" "Who do you think I mean?"

I thought it would have been "Whom do you think I mean?"

Who is the subject and who is the object here?

Please help; I'm very confused.

Many thanks

GF

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

See:
who vs whom
including my advice at the end

CalifJim · Answer

When whom is pulled out of the statement form and transferred to the beginning of the sentence to make a question, the m is usually dropped. Not dropping it is OK too, but more formal.

[You think I mean whom.]
Whom do you think I mean? OK. More formal.
Who do you think I mean? OK. Usual in most ordinary circumstances.

Another example:

[You got the letter from whom.]
Whom did you get the letter from? More formal use.
Who did you get the letter from? More usual.

The preposition moves to the beginning as well for very formal use. The m cannot be dropped in that case.

From whom did you get the letter?

CJ

Extreme confusion: who or whom?

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