whom or what?

CT   Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:47 pm GMT
Is it "He is a what they call Mr. Mom" or "He is a whom they call Mr. Mom"?
Thanks.
SpaceFlight   Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:49 pm GMT
<<Is it "He is a what they call Mr. Mom" or "He is a whom they call Mr. Mom"?
Thanks.>>

Both of those sound wrong.
CT   Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:58 pm GMT
I think "He is a Mr. Mom" would sound right, however I wonder if there is a way inserting "what they call" into the sentence.
Corrs   Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:00 am GMT
You can't say ''a what'' or ''a whom''. Using ''a'' there is wrong.
CT   Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:10 am GMT
So, Corrs, are both "He is what they call Mr. Mom" and "He is whom they call Mr. Mom" both good? Thank you.
Corrs   Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:51 am GMT
<<So, Corrs, are both "He is what they call Mr. Mom" and "He is whom they call Mr. Mom" both good? Thank you.>>

It would be ''whom'', because you're talking about his name rather than his occupation. Compare:

He is what (not whom) they call a grocer.

He is whom (not what) they call Mr. Brown.
CT   Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:55 am GMT
If Mr. Mom is a name, then Soccer Mom is a name too? or an occupation?
CT   Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:01 am GMT
If I don't come back soon, thanks in advance for your help.
Corrs   Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:02 am GMT
<<If Mr. Mom is a name, then Soccer Mom is a name too? or an occupation?>>

Actually, now that I think about it, I think ''Mr. Mom'' and ''Soccer Mom'' are both occupations rather than people's names. If ''Mr. Mom'' refers to his job of being momlike, then it would be an occupation rather than a name and would take ''what'' rather than ''whom''.
JJM   Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:06 am GMT
I suggest a true native AE speaker would say:

"He's what they call a Mr Mom."
Corrs   Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:10 am GMT
<<"He's what they call a Mr Mom.">>

Yeah, I think that actually sounds the most correct to me.
CT   Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:32 am GMT
Terrific; Thanks.
Claude   Sun Jan 08, 2006 6:22 am GMT
May I suggest :

He is the one they are calling Mr. Mom

or

He is the one who is beeing called Mr. Mom

Cheers.
Claude
Claude   Sun Jan 08, 2006 7:18 am GMT
If Mr. Mom is an occupation or something else, I would suggest instead:

It is what they are calling by the name "Mr.Mom"

Claude
CT   Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:59 pm GMT
Claude,

Thanks.