Re: Staying Alive is Not Enough -6-

MurielB Jeu 14 Déc - 23:58

Yes but who is the last one ?

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 14:11

MurielB a écrit:Yes but who is the last one ?

> THe kitty can chase the mouse, the mose can take a revenge on cheese...

It's a loop. the mouse will give germs to humans; humans will hunt lions, etc.

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 15:14

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 15:40

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 18:02

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 19:36

gerardM Ven 15 Déc - 19:56

MurielB Ven 15 Déc - 22:22

gerardM a écrit:

An iron hand in a velvet glove ???

gerardM Sam 16 Déc - 23:09

gerardM Sam 16 Déc - 23:22

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 14:32

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 16:39

MurielB Dim 17 Déc - 22:49

Isn't it better to say "If I were a bird" ?

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:27

MurielB a écrit:Isn't it better to say "If I were a bird" ?

Muriel,
I'm a bit surprised as well but "if I were" is not mandatory.

Notice the "if I was"... "I know".
"If I were" would imply "I'd know" (if I were shows more uncertainty).

~~ edit

"If I was" is a past indicative.
"If I were" is a present subjunctive.

MurielB Dim 17 Déc - 23:40

OK Tx

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:41

Muriel, as I'm trying to look into this, I find very weird web pages!!!

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:44

Do read.

The subjunctive verb form expresses mood, doubts and wishes. However, most coursebooks will not mention it in order to make English ‘simpler’ to learn, but I believe it creates problems later on for learners of English not to have a fuller picture of our language.

( http://getintoenglish.com/if-i-were-you/ )

I'm more and more persuaded that few people know about English grammar! Even graduate "Literature PhD"s ignore all this.

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:48

Read this:

In the English language, sentences can take on three different moods:
* Indicative: This is the most common mood and the easiest to understand. The indicative mood makes statements or asks questions: "My little brother is bugging me." "Is that tuna sandwich safe to eat?"
* Imperative: An imperative statement makes requests or gives commands. The subject of an imperative sentence is often an understood "you" that does not actually appear in the sentence: "Don't bug your brother!" "Please put that tuna sandwich in the trash."
* Subjunctive: A verb in the subjunctive mood deals with hypothetical situations or with ideas that are contrary to fact. "If my brother were a beetle, I would step on him." "If that tuna sandwich hadn't spoiled, I would've had a nice lunch."

( https://web.archive.org/web/20150418102122/http://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/writing/which-is-correct-if-i-was-or-if-i-were-and-why )

This is absolutely wrong!! they forget the conditional mood!!
I'm stunned!!!

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:51

Here's another link: Why is it “If I were you” and not “If I was you”?

gerardM Dim 17 Déc - 23:58

I didn't read all of the 3 pages but there say differently.

One says "if I were" is a past subjunctive, another page says it's a present subjunctive (the past subjunctive would be "if I had been").

One of the pages says it's better to ignore subjuctive as English is simpler this way scratch

~~

"God save the Queen" is a subjunctive; "if I were a king" is a subjunctive...
English-speaking people are ignorant regarding grammar, including graduates in Literature, which is very common (I'd say the standard degree).

gerardM Lun 18 Déc - 11:19

gerardM Lun 18 Déc - 11:23

gerardM Lun 18 Déc - 11:47

gerardM Lun 18 Déc - 13:45

gerardM Lun 18 Déc - 21:41

Staying Alive is Not Enough -6- - Page 23 25497955_1551443338238589_6693331726875489953_n

I'd like to point out "To stand up and be counted = se faire entendre / s'élever contre" often shortened to "to stand up"
as in the pic.
-> to stand up to something... = résister à / tenir tête à
-> to stand up for = défendre