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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Reference of "whom"

"This tutor of St. John’s College in Annapolis had many students who admired him with a profound love, of whom this author’s is not the least."

Presuming the "author's" means "author's love", does the "whom" refer to the tutor, or the admiring students?
1. this author's love of (for?) the tutor is not the least.
2. of (among) the many admiring students, this author's love [for the tutor] is not the least.

Grammatically, #1 seems more sound, but reading through the sentence I was expecting "not the least of the many (admiring) students".

Thanks in advance
  

Top answer

I don't read 1. and 2. as mutually exclusive.

— Avangi

  • I don't read 1.
  • and 2.
  • as mutually exclusive.
  • " This author's what ?
  • It's confusing because the subject of the last clause is understood (not stated).
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3 Answers
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I don't read 1. and 2. as mutually exclusive. Perhaps what you're missing is the possessive form of "author's."

This author's what?

It's confusing because the subject of the last clause is understood (not stated). This author's
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"of whom" = the admiring students.
#2 is a good interpretation.
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AnonymousI was expecting "not the least of the many (admiring) students".
For this to work, it would have to read "this author is not the least," not "this author's is not the least."
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