Please don't migrate

Question

...crap.

Which is the subject (and what's the other thing called)? is a crappy question.

In its entirety:

If I say:

My sister can drive the car today

Which is the subject: sister or car? Also, what is the other thing called?

This might be marginally interesting because of the can, but it shows absolutely no research. "The other thing?" There is more than one "other thing." That makes it unclear.

ELL is not a garbage can. There is a close reason on ELL that states:

This question should include more details than have been provided here. Please edit to add the research you have done in your efforts to answer the question, or provide more context. See: Details, Please.

Listed among the details are Explain why you are confused and Show your research.

The above question does neither. There have been other questions I've voted to close for the 'show your research' reason which I've seen others have voted to close in order to migrate to ELL.

Please treat ELL with the same respect that ELU should be accorded.

_{Granted I suffer from native English-speaker guilt, but every time I vote to migrate, I go over to ELL and answer a reasonable but unanswered question. That's how I deal with (my) karma. Maybe the people migrating crappy questions should think about doing the same; it might make them think twice.}

Edited to add: I didn't know this question had such a nice, helpful answer, which is great when that happens. However, it is still a crappy question. What I have learned since then is that there has been some discussion on ELL about migrating crap, so maybe if the mods can let us know what they want (there is some disagreement), I can get down from this soap box. _{^{I'm old, and my balance isn't so good.}}

Answer 1

There has been some discussion on ELL about migrating crap, so maybe if the mods can let us know what they want (there is some disagreement)...

Yup, there has been some disagreement. That makes sense to me.

One person sees this question and thinks, "This is just ‘crap’ with no research."

Another sees this question, and thinks, "Here is a person who is confused about subjects and objects," and proceeds to write a helpful answer.

A third person sees the question and thinks, "This looks more like a learner's question than a serious etymologist question," and makes a move to migrate.

A fourth person sees this question and its answers, and thinks, "This would be more helpful to future visitors if we added the object tag," and therefore makes an edit.

So, which person was right? I think all four have defensible points – although perhaps not all responses are equally constructive.

In the end, the Stack Exchange has in its “library of detailed answers” a pretty good summary about how to differentiate between subjects and objects. That answer is on the English Learner's Exchange, which is probably where it belongs.

^{Most of the karma I see here is on the positive side...}

Answer 2

To me, this is not remotely ELL.SE. Note that ELL is for "speakers of other languages learning English"

Someone who is learning English as a second language will have some difficulties. But one thing they are almost guaranteed to know (and better than many native speakers) is the technical terms "subject" and "object" (or should I say, "other thing.")

This question has all the hallmarks of a native speaker who uses grammar intuitively but who has no idea of linguistics or formal understanding of how grammar works.

Let me click on the question.... Oh look, a 100% English sounding username, what a surprise!

Although the question is basic, The OP is NOT a speaker of another language, and the question is not one that would be asked by a speaker of another language. So this does NOT belong on ELL.

EDIT in response to Andrew Leach's comment:

Though I am clear that this does not belong on ELL, I take no position on whether it belongs here (most, but not all, think it is too basic and under-researched.) In that case, closing and deleting would have been more appropriate. I think there was some good intention in trying to find this question a "home" on ELL. But as I say, learners of English as a second language are actually even more likely to know the terms "subject" and "object" than native speakers.