why does everybody say: "the person that", instead of "the person who"?

Question

No matter who says it on the tv or radio, they say:

the person that went.... instead of the correct way which is:

the person who went. A person is a "who", not a "that".

Answer 1

I agree, when you are refering to someone: you use "who"

You use that when talking about objects etc.

Answer 2

In a restrictive clause (one not set off by a comma) in English, it is perfectly correct to use 'that' as the relative for both human or non-human antecedents. This is a matter of preference by writers and speakers, and while 'who' may be the more common, 'that' is also correct, in both British and American usage.

Answer 3

It's one of my minor pet peeves! I'm a substitute teacher and am very glad whenever I get a chance to show kids the correct way to use it. Another one that gets me is "hopefully" - which means in a manner that is full of hope." Most people say hopefully when they just mean "I hope," like "Hopefully, school will be cancelled tomorrow." They mean "I hope school will be cancelled," not "In a hopeful manner, school will be cancelled." See the difference?

But the worst misuse is "nauseous." Something that's nauseous MAKES you sick. When you feel sick, you are "nauseATED."

Answer 4

To annoy you and some of my fellow question answerers. Any person that would speak in such a way should be banished to mute land. Fair dinkum

Answer 5

what bothers me is when they make the subject into a nominative pronoun instead of a direct object.

"Who did you call?"
it's not who.. it's Whom did you call.

Answer 6

I guess they were learned not very good grammer. It makes me so angry when people dont say the right way. God im one of those people!!!

Answer 7

I guess it sounds better.
But is it correct to say "This is Mr....." or "He is Mr....."?

Answer 8

grammatically ignorant~~