Which languages are dying in Europe?

Paul   Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:01 am GMT
No. 'Were' is plural.
CommonAswhole   Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:06 am GMT
I also made the mistake their/there in a post here. The lack of an edit-function sure exposes us as retards.
12345   Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:14 am GMT
«Paul Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:01 am GMT
No. 'Were' is plural. »


Nah, that's not the problem. I found where that problem is. You were there (2nd person singular) is not plural.

If I were you or I wish I were you. In these cases it should be 'were'. I understand that problem now. In Dutch both are the same in such cases.

Because of this I thought 'were' would also be correct in other sentences like:
I was walking to the park
When I was there something strange happened in the garden.

But now I see it's not correct here
CommonAswhole   Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:03 am GMT
English tenses are deceivingly complicated. Learning English is like running on a straight slope, but an amazingly long one. You will be able to converse in English very soonly after studying it, but you will won't be able to analyse its grammar.

I know I don't know the rules of English, due to my laziness and lack of caring.
Quest   Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:28 am GMT
Some question:

Why is : God bless ..... and not God blesses?

Why is: THE Coca cola comapny and not Cocacola Comapny?
Guest   Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:39 am GMT
I think the first is a usage of the elusive English subjunctive. As in "Peace be with you". The 'Coca Cola company' is being treated here as a noun phrase.
Alessandro   Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:44 pm GMT
"In Italy we are losting 5 languages. "

You seem to be losting English too.

ooops.
Leasnam   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:01 pm GMT
<<As far as I know "I were" is the formal form, where "I was" is informal.
I were there
I was there
Both mean the same.
So can you explain why "I weren't" is incorrect? >>

"I was" is past indicative; "I were" is past subjunctive


It is possible to say "I weren't" in English and be correct:
"If I weren't the wrong height, I would try out for the basketball team."
CommonAswhole   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:09 pm GMT
"Why is : God bless ..... and not God blesses? "

This is easy. They're using the conjunctive form in "God bless". It's used to express a wish. A puny human cannot decide for God, but only hope they're on God's side.
When talking about higher powers, more modest and archaic language is in its place.
CommonAswhole   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:11 pm GMT
I meant the 'subjunctive' form of course. lol
Leasnam   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:14 pm GMT
<<"Why is : God bless ..... and not God blesses? " This is easy. They're using the conjunctive form in "God bless". It's used to express a wish.>>

Correct, although here it's referred to as the subjunctive mood rather than the conjunctive due to the lack of a conjunction, but all in all: same thing.

"God bless" really means => "[May] God bless [you]" and thus conveys the wishful desire
more   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:14 pm GMT
Cimbric-a High German dialect (or language) spoken in Verona and Vicenza areas of Italy.
Leasnam   Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:16 pm GMT
<<I meant the 'subjunctive' form of course. lol >>

No. You were still pretty much right on! Subjunctive and Conjunctive can be used almost interchangeably :-)
greg   Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:15 pm GMT
K B : « I heard someone say that Dutch is a dying language. Is it true? »

Non, c'est absolument faux !
greg   Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:26 pm GMT
Je précise que c'est faux pour la Hollande, mais en Belgique la langue de nos chers amis hollandais est morte. C'est bien normal, puisque le français est bien supérieur culturellement. Quand on regarde la culture hollandaise, il y a de quoi avoir envie de dégueuler.