11849
I recently got an automated email from Twitter with the following subject
(except with real user names):

> username さん、username さん、username さんをご存じですか?

My question is about `を` paired with `ご存じですか`. As I understand it, `を`
normally marks the direct object of a verb. Therefore, I expect it to be
followed by a transitive verb; if there is no verb, I expect one to be
implied. However, this sentence ends with a noun and copula instead, so I
can't make grammatical sense of it.

I assume this phrase _is_ grammatical, as I got it in an email that was likely
to be proofread, and I can find [plenty of uses
online](https://www.google.com/search?hl=ja&q=%22%E3%82%92%E3%81%94%E5%AD%98%E3%81%98%E3%81%A7%E3%81%99%E3%81%8B%22)
on websites that I think are likely to contain standard Japanese.

So how does it work grammatically? The only explanation I can come up with is
that `ご存じです` is functioning as a transitive verb, like a polite/honorific form
of `存じる`. Is there a better explanation?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-08T15:44:58.283
11846
2013-05-08T17:10:36.603
question
grammar particle-を
Can ご存じです function as a transitive verb?
ご存じです is an irregular honorific form of the verb 知る. It functions exactly the
same with respect to subjects, objects and so on.

More than that, there is a regular honorific form of verbs お+Vi+です (Vi is a
-ます stem). For example, お聞きです from the verb 聞く. It also has an internal form
noun+copula, but functions as a verb.

It seems like any predicate, be it verb, adjective, or noun+copula, can
function like a verb, if there are some logical slots for subjects, objects or
modifiers in its meaning,
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-08T17:10:36.603
11849
2013-05-08T17:10:36.603
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11846
answer