Learn English – “If you or somebody you know” vs “If somebody you know or you”

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The following sentence makes sense:

  • If you or somebody you know is an experienced such-and-such, please contact us.

However, reversing the subjects (and choosing "are" based on the proximity rule) makes it sound extremely awkward:

  • If somebody you know or you are an experienced such-and-such, please contact us.

The is/are verb choice does not really matter, placing "somebody you know" first makes the sentence difficult to read and awkward to say. However, switching subjects in a compound subject doesn't always "ruin" the sentence, e.g.:

  • If your dog or your cat is sick, call the vet.
  • If your cat or your dog is sick, call the vet.

My question is: What is wrong with "If somebody you know or you"? Is this violating some grammatical rule? Why is this sentence so hard to parse? I know it doesn't "feel" right but I'd like to know why.

Best Answer

It is grammatically correct. However, as you point out, it feels awkward, mainly because somebody you know is a superset of you (assuming that you do, in fact, know yourself). Translating it to your second example, would you ever say the following?

If your pet or your dog is sick, call the vet.

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