English grammar nit-pickiness

[sjcarpediem]

Grammar brain meltdown == Instant confusion!

Poll Sample

I realize I should know this, but this is a case of a split infinitive, or is it transitivity, or something else? "to show someone something" or "to show something to someone"? They're both correct? That can't be...

Comments

[shanrina]

I don't know the actual grammar rule, but I'd never say "let me show you it" unless it was for a LOLcats/LOLwhatever thing.

[lilacsigil]

I thought it was for LOLcats, so I chose "let me show you it" - the LOL is on me!

[sjcarpediem]

HaHaHa... oh, this medium (the Internet) is delightful...

[fenoxielo524]

But replace "it" with "something" and all the awkwardness goes away for me. Anyone else?

[citharadraconis]

Yes. "Show me the proof," etc. = perfectly fine.

[shanrina]

That's how it works for me too.

[superslayer18]

Well I think that's because what is natural to do with pronouns does not always apply to nouns. Spanish does something similar in word order, where the direct object and indirect object pronouns will (USUALLY!) go before the conjugated verb, but nouns would not do that at all. (similar in that the rules change for nouns and pronouns, not where you put which)