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Laborious Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Q19: "Who's they?" OR "Who're they?"
Hello teachers,
I have a question concerning a short conversation taken from a movie, please. It's given below:
A (to B): Who did this to you?
B: They. They're here.
A: They? Who's they?
Is "who's they?", assuming that 'who's' is the contraction for 'who is', correct there? Shouldn't "Who's they?" be "Who're (who are) they?"?
Thank you.
I have a question concerning a short conversation taken from a movie, please. It's given below:
A (to B): Who did this to you?
B: They. They're here.
A: They? Who's they?
Is "who's they?", assuming that 'who's' is the contraction for 'who is', correct there? Shouldn't "Who's they?" be "Who're (who are) they?"?
Thank you.
Top answer
", assuming that 'who's' is the contraction for 'who is', correct there? Yes. "?
- ", assuming that 'who's' is the contraction for 'who is', correct there?
- Yes.
- "?
- No.
- It is all in how you interpret this conversation.
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5 Answers
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LaboriousIs "who's they?", assuming that 'who's' is the contraction for 'who is', correct there?Yes.
LaboriousShouldn't "Who's they?" be "Who're (who are) they?"?No. It is all in how you interpret this conversation.
B: They. They're here.
A: They? Who's they? = (Who do you
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Thanks to you, AStars, for your help.
AlpheccaStarsB: They. They're here. A: They? Who's they? = (Who do you mean when you say the word "they"?)So, in contexts like that, the speaker may use either form, whether it be 'who's they?' or 'who're they?'. If they consider 'they' as a noun or just a word, then it's OK to say 'Who'sthey?'. Have I
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LaboriousSo, in contexts like that, the speaker may use either form, whether it be 'who's they?' or 'who're they?'The meaning is entirely different.
Who're they? - Answer: Tom, D ick, and Harry over there.
Who's "they"?
The speaker is showing that he doubts the existence of such a group. Perhaps he suspects a conspiracy theory, or that
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AlpheccaStarsD ickI guess the profanity filter is being one now...
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Laboriouscan we use this singular auxiliary verb (Edit: sorry, It's a main verb in these situations)Off topic: You were not wrong to call is an auxiliary verb. See English grammar.
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