Who vs. that. Who knew?

by Thomas Becher, APR

As a former journalist, I’ve always been taught that “who” refers to a person. “That” is for an object. Heck, that’s a grammar lesson from elementary school.

Then why are so many people – I’m talking prominent, educated leaders in business, government and religion, even media talking heads – using “that” to refer to people?

I hear it all the time – on TV and radio, online, at speeches and luncheons. People are saying things like, “I know this person that …” Huh? Did I miss something? Are humans becoming objects? Is our addiction to all things electronic taking over our abilities to speak about humans in, well, human ways?

Who vs. that is not just about the proper use of a pronoun. It’s about how you present yourself in public. Being grammatically correct – and showing it – goes a long way toward building trust, credibility and professionalism.

The lesson? Double-check your words next time you’re speaking in public, even if they sound right. Because someone in the audience is going to notice.

I don’t know where this that-instead-of-who trend started, but please stop. Now. You’re making us humans sound like louts.