what happened to the subjunctive in english?
can anyone explain why the subjunctive tense disappeared from english (except for "If I were")? Is it also disappearing from other European languages, and if so, why?
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I read a report in The Times four or five years ago, I think, that the Academie Francaise had been asked to consider abolishing the present subjunctive in French because French people of today find it...
View ArticleRe: what happened to the subjunctive in english?
Be that as it may (hah hah), the subjunctive is alive and well in Spanish - English people can't even handle teh other tenses let along subjunctive!
View ArticleRe: what happened to the subjunctive in english?
The mandative subjunctive is still alive in American English -- "We suggested that he invite his friend" -- but has disappeared from British English. The old subjunctive forms have been replaced by...
View ArticleRe: what happened to the subjunctive in english?
Rumours of its death have been greatly exaggerated."We suggested that he invite his friend" -- but has disappeared from British English. "I would dispute that. Here are some examples from the Hansard...
View ArticleRe: what happened to the subjunctive in english?
Why languages change is rarely a useful question: they just do. But they tend to follow patterns. English has a long-term pattern of moving away from inflected forms in favor of using auxilliaries or...
View ArticleRe: what happened to the subjunctive in english?
If you go looking, you will find quite a lot of subjunctivity out there.Be that as it may, I would have chosen to use 'subjunctivitis' in this context (were it permitted). It doesn't get much cornea...
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