Who(m)

Last week I posted about hypercorrection, and as an example I pointed to people's tendency to use "so-and-so and I" in every situation, even where it isn't warranted. I mentioned then that I wouldn't get into "who" and "whom" at that time, mostly because I thought everyone would be bored to death, despite the urgency of a much-needed corrective. But I had a few people ask me about how to know which is appropriate when, so here are my thoughts on the matter.

Hypercorrection Wades in the Water among Jacob and (I or Me)

I try hard not to be "that guy," but I find that my reputation (earned or unearned) precedes me. Because I work as an editor and try to use proper grammar (it helps me practice, like speaking "wed-nes-day" when I spell Wednesday), others assume that I'm constantly judging how they say things. They assume that I'm ready at a moment's notice to take out my red pen. So I often get to see the other side of people, similar to how policemen probably see the other side of people. The result is hypercorrection.