Who vs. That (A question about English Grammar)
I feel stupid asking a question about my own native language but today while filling my truck with gasoline I noticed a small sign on the pump thar read "Customers that cannot reach the pump should ask for assistance". Now that sounds just fine to me but someone went to the trouble of writing who over the word that on every pump. So, I was hoping some of our fine English speaking members could clarify this for me.
Thank you
Gary
9 Answers
I was taught to say "who" rather than "that" when referring to persons. But the sign would not offend me.
On the other hand, my great-aunt, who has a "Grammar Police" t-shirt, may have been the one who corrected all the signs!
I think many, if not most, native English speakers are becoming much more tolerant of technical errors in grammar. That may be due to the shortcuts we take while texting, the sloppiness tolerated in emails, or to the reduced emphasis on grammar in our public schools. As mentioned, English is evolving.
See? This is one of those cases where Spanish is simpler than English. We just use 'que' for everything, at least as long as we don't want to get too 'creative' with the grammar. 
It should be "who" considering it is refering to a person and not simply an object. 
Normally I fall among the person/thing distinction preservers. However, I can think of two kinds of exceptions. "He is not the man who is father was." I would unhesitatingly change to "the man that his ..." The other case concerns not what I say but what I am forced to listen to. Large numbers of modern speakers have trouble (are clueless about) distinguishing the nominative and objective pronouns. Thus, they will, unblushingly, say "The man who I saw standing on the corner ..." rather than listen to such, I would rather that they say "The man that I saw standing on the corner ..."* (a lesser offense and one which has, at least, some historical precedent).
I'm in the group that uses "who" for people and "that" for things.
You can get some good info here and here. I fall into the group that thinks it matters little. My English teachers were all of the strict "who for people, that for things" group.
It's like the ain't debate (two separate links). I feel vindicated to live in an area that takes full advantage of the beautiful little word.
Both who and that are correct, but who is currently preferred. . .50 years ago, that was preferred.
English teacher grafitti. The who, whom, that thing is very tricky I don't anyone that (who) talks that way anymore I think it's one of those evolutionary language changes. But I bet if we looked it up we would all be speaking incorrectly.
I am also one who uses "who" for people and "that" for things. 
It's seems so small of a thing but hey "tomato" and "toemawtoe" (said phonetically). 
