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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Who´s or Whose?
Hello. I'm an English teacher here in Brazil, and recently I've seen something really weird (at least for me). In the book we are using there is a situation in a restaurant where the waiter comes to the costumer and says: "Who's the fish?" And later on "Who's the steak?"
Now, I've always thought the correct question should be "Whose is the fish?", or the steak... But the book presents this Who's question as the correct one...
Is it alright? Is that really possible?
Thanks for the help,
Ivana
Now, I've always thought the correct question should be "Whose is the fish?", or the steak... But the book presents this Who's question as the correct one...
Is it alright? Is that really possible?
Thanks for the help,
Ivana
Top answer
Hi Ivana, Formally, you are correct, of course. However, 'who is the fish' has become current in popular speech (especially in restaurants). I seem to recall that there is even a rhetorical term for this, but it has slipped my mind at the moment.
- Hi Ivana, Formally, you are correct, of course.
- However, 'who is the fish' has become current in popular speech (especially in restaurants).
- I seem to recall that there is even a rhetorical term for this, but it has slipped my mind at the moment.
- Perhaps another member's memory is in better condition.
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4 Answers
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Hi Ivana,
Formally, you are correct, of course. However, 'who is the fish' has become current in popular speech (especially in restaurants). I seem to recall that there is even a rhetorical term for this, but it has slipped my mind at the moment. Perhaps another member's memory is in better condition.
Formally, you are correct, of course. However, 'who is the fish' has become current in popular speech (especially in restaurants). I seem to recall that there is even a rhetorical term for this, but it has slipped my mind at the moment. Perhaps another member's memory is in better condition.
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Hi Guest from Brazil,
You don't mind that kind of context-bound phrase. That is kind of a phrase that is used and makes sense only in restaurants. It is kind of a degenerated form of "Who is [the person who ordered] the steak?" Similar phenomena take place in our language – Japanese. I myself cry once a week "I'm an eel" in a Japanese style restaurant where eel BBQ is served. But I don
You don't mind that kind of context-bound phrase. That is kind of a phrase that is used and makes sense only in restaurants. It is kind of a degenerated form of "Who is [the person who ordered] the steak?" Similar phenomena take place in our language – Japanese. I myself cry once a week "I'm an eel" in a Japanese style restaurant where eel BBQ is served. But I don
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Only in restaurants?
The red shirt is an accountant, and the blue shirt is a lawyer.
New York is offering a lot more variety in musical comedy this year.
The White House refused to comment on the matter.
Washington was embarrassed by the incident.
The red shirt is an accountant, and the blue shirt is a lawyer.
New York is offering a lot more variety in musical comedy this year.
The White House refused to comment on the matter.
Washington was embarrassed by the incident.
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