CalifJim  +  187303 Sun, 22 Jan 06 10:52 PM Here's the most common formula that I hear. -- Is Taka there? -- Speaking. Once in a very great while I do hear "This is he", so it is used on a rare occasion. I don't believe I've heard "This is him", though I'm sure people use that one, too. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,463 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	Clive  +  187379 Mon, 23 Jan 06 04:10 AM Hi Taka, CJ and I share the same opinion on this one. As for The meaning of my life is she, it sounds very odd indeed. Such an inversion might be OK in poetry or perhaps a song, but in everyday speech you'd say She is the meaning of my life. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,668 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	Taka  +  187429 Mon, 23 Jan 06 06:51 AM So, to summerize, is it: S+be+Nominative=>Grammatically correct, but rarely used. S+be+Objective=>Common usage. ? Taka Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004 Japan Senior Member 2,625 Nominative

	Clive  +  187541 Mon, 23 Jan 06 02:09 PM Hi, So, to summerize, is it: S+be+Nominative=>Grammatically correct, but rarely used. S+be+Objective=>Common usage. Yes. Cop: Which of these men robbed you? Witness: It was him. That's for simple sentences. If a relative clause follows, there is more variation, eg Robber: Yes, I confess, it was me that did it or Yes, I confess, it was I who did it. Best wishes, Clive    Clive Clauses, Nominative

	Taka  +  187559 Mon, 23 Jan 06 03:04 PM Clive, So, if the sentence 'The meaning of my life is she' were 'The meaning of my life is her' instead, does it sound natural to you? If not, why not? Taka

	Clive  +  187699 Mon, 23 Jan 06 10:44 PM Hi, So, if the sentence 'The meaning of my life is she' were 'The meaning of my life is her' instead, does it sound natural to you? If not, why not? No, it sounds a bit unnatural. 'The meaning of my life is Mary' sounds a little better. On the other hand, 'My problem is not you, it's her' sounds OK. It's hard sometimes to explain why something sounds odd. I think one reason is that the high importance of what is being said, my statement about the meaning of my life, contrasts oddly with the use of the modest, humble little pronoun. It's like 'She's the most important aspect of my life but I won't bother to say her name'. The whole choice of words seems a little unnatural to me. I'd be inclined to use the verb 'mean' in an active way, to give more life to what I'm saying. I'd also show that I have other meanings in my life by using a superlative. eg Mary means more to me than anything else in my life. Clive Clive Verbs, Nouns, Pronouns

	MrPedantic  +  187738 Tue, 24 Jan 06 12:52 AM Just to wind back a little: I usually hear "Speaking!" too. If I heard "This is he", I would assume that the speaker was being a little humorous (or also ironed his jeans). MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...