objective pronoun distinction

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Thecow  #363632  Fri, 11 May 07 10:19 PM
This was posted at another forum, I was just curious what the correct answer is.
The original quote was " Someone figured out my password and is posting under my account. How dare them."  Now, it should either be 'How dare him', or 'How dare he/she' or 'How dare they'
The question is basically the difference between these two cases.
He stole the cookie.  How dare he.
And
He stole the cookie.  How dare him.


Now it seems to me that it should be him as it sounds like an objective case, but I really do not know as I havent taken an English class since my first year of college.
Any help would be appreciated
  
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Clive  #363642  Fri, 11 May 07 10:51 PM

Hi,

The original quote was " Someone figured out my password and is posting under my account. How dare them."  Now, it should either be 'How dare him', or 'How dare he/she' or 'How dare they'
The question is basically the difference between these two cases.
He stole the cookie.  How dare he.
And
He stole the cookie.  How dare him.

Now it seems to me that it should be him as it sounds like an objective case, but I really do not know . . .

The subjective form is correct. 'He', 'she' or 'they' if you are not sure about the person's sex.

It's just a matter of an unusual word order. When you say 'How dare he do that?', you are saying 'How does he dare to do that?' You are not saying the ungrammatical 'How does him dare to do that?'

Best wishes, Clive  

  
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Grammar Geek  #363643  Fri, 11 May 07 10:51 PM

How dare he! or How dare they!

I really think you need the subject case here. How dare they [do that]!

  
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Yankee  #363664  Sat, 12 May 07 12:01 AM
I agree: Smile [:)]

How dare he!
How dare she!
How dare they!

  
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CalifJim  #363705  Sat, 12 May 07 02:41 AM
To save myself the trouble of having to decide, I just say

How dare you!

Smile [:)]
CJ



  
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