The spelling of the phrase "of whom" is straightforward. It is written as "oʊv ˈhuːm" in IPA phonetic transcription. The first sound, "oʊ," represents the diphthong of "o" and "u," which is pronounced like "oh" in English. The second sound, "v," represents the voiced labiodental fricative, which is pronounced with your lips and teeth. The third sound, "ˈhuːm," represents the long vowel "u" and the bilabial nasal consonant "m." Together, "of whom" is pronounced as "ohv hoom."
"Of whom" is a phrase that functions as a pronoun or a relative pronoun in the English language. It is used to introduce a clause that identifies a specific person or people, often indicating possession or belonging.
The phrase "of whom" typically appears in a sentence after a noun that it modifies, providing more information about the noun or indicating a relationship with that noun. It is commonly used to refer to a person or people previously mentioned or known in the context.
For instance, in the sentence "John is a colleague of whom I have great respect," "of whom" is used to add essential details about John as the colleague, highlighting the speaker's admiration or reverence towards him.
The phrase can also be used to express possession. In the sentence "She is a friend of whom I borrowed the book," "of whom" introduces the person who owns the book.
"Of whom" is a more formal or literary alternative to the phrase "whose," and it is often chosen when referring to people. However, it is important to note that "of whom" is less commonly used in spoken language and is usually found in written or formal contexts.
Overall, "of whom" helps in specifying a particular person or people, establishing connections or providing additional details about individuals in a sentence.
The word "of whom" is a combination of two separate words: "of" and "whom".
1. "Of": This preposition can be traced back to the Old English word "of", which has Indo-European roots. It is related to the German word "ab" and the Dutch word "van", both of which carry similar meanings of "off" or "from". Over time, "of" developed various uses, including indicating possession or origin, indicating a relationship or association, or denoting partitive relationships.
2. "Whom": "Whom" is derived from the Old English word "hwam", which means "to, for, or on whom". The origin of "hwam" can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "hwam", which shares roots with the Old Saxon "hwam" and Old High German "hwam".