Re: This is he or this is him?

Einde O'Callaghan wrote:

> Tamakazura wrote:
> > Einde O'Callaghan wrote:
> >
> >> kat wrote:
> >>
> >>> I want to present a question.
> >>>
> >>> When someone calls on the phone and I answer and they ask to speak
> >>> with me
> >>> is it best to answer like this:
> >>>
> >>> Q: May I speak with Jose.
> >>>
> >>> A:This is he
> >>> or
> >>> A: This is him
> >>>
> >>> I think the corrrect way is This is he because I am not a indirect
> >>> object
> >>> but a direct object.
> >>>
> >> The correct form would be "This is him" - it is an idiomatic usage.
> >>
> >> However, this isn't what we actually say on the phone. In reality we say:
> >>
> >> Q: May i speak with Jose?
> >>
> >> A: Speaking.
> >
> >
> > I've heard people say, "This is she," very often.  Is it a woman thing?
> >  Men don't say, "This is he,"?
> >
> I would regard this form as hyper-correct, i.e. sombody following a rule
> that they have been told is teh correct form.
>
> Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

Technically it should be 'this is he'.  Subjective
completion of a copula verb.

Same with 'It is I' rather' than 'It is me'

But as Einde noted earlier, idiomatic usage
tends to overrule grammar.

Perhaps Pogo's 'We have met the enemy and he is us'
had something to do with that -:)