|
|
Prince William's speech
If you use the world "if", there's no rule that says you MUST use "were."
Saying "If I was a soldier" is good English, and it's time people on this forum got better educated and not Prince William.
if clauses—the traditional rules. According to traditional rules, you use the subjunctive to describe an occurrence that you have presupposed to be contrary to fact: if I were ten years younger, if America were still a British Colony. The verb in the main clause of these sentences must then contain the verb would or (less frequently) should: If I were ten years younger, I would consider entering the marathon. If America were still a British colony, we would all be drinking tea in the afternoon.
When the situation described by the if clause is not presupposed to be false, however, that clause must contain an indicative verb. The form of verb in the main clause will depend on your intended meaning: If Hamlet WAS really written by Marlowe, as many have argued, then we have underestimated Marlowe’s genius. If Kevin WAS out all day, then it makes sense that he couldn’t answer the phone. http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/061.html
Prince William, being much better educated than nearly everyone on this forum (being a Royal), knows these rules, and correctly followed them.
His statement wasn't presupposed to be false, therefore when he said "If I was admitted..." he wasn't saying it wrongly.
if clauses—the reality. In practice, of course, many people ignore the rules. In fact, over the last 200 years even well-respected writers have tended to use the indicative was where the traditional rule would require the subjunctive were. A usage such as If I was the only boy in the world may break the rules, but it sounds perfectly natural.
subjunctive after wish. Yet another traditional rule requires you to use were rather than was in a contrary-to-fact statement that follows the verb wish: I wish I were (not was) lighter on my feet. Many writers continue to insist on this rule, but the indicative was in such clauses can be found in the works of many well-known writers.
**Prince William, being much better educated than nearly everyone on this forum (being a Royal)**
"Nearly everyone" Adam? Do you consider yourself to be one of the minority intelligentsia then? Or even the sole genius in here? By the crassness of that statement of yours .....you're not. "Being a Royal!" The mon's a daftie! Now I'm showing my stupidity by even responding to you...I'm going out for the evening to forget about it.
>>Prince William, being much better educated than nearly everyone on this forum (being a Royal), knows these rules, and correctly followed them.
His statement wasn't presupposed to be false, therefore when he said "If I was admitted..." he wasn't saying it wrongly.<< /me lacht laut über Adam.
Well, I for one do not really feel like changing my speech patterns, or my writing patterns at that, just because someone tells me what is "correct" in formal English...err...make that formal *English* English - which I myself don't happen to speak in the first place and which I have no intentions of speaking either.
If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. All day long I'd biddy biddy bum. If I were a wealthy man. I wouldn't have to work hard. If I were a biddy biddy rich, Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man. If I were a rich man, Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. All day long I'd biddy biddy bum. If I were a wealthy man. I wouldn't have to work hard. Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. If I were a biddy biddy rich, Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man. If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall. That would be the sweetest thing of all. If I were a rich man, Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. All day long I'd biddy biddy bum. If I were a wealthy man. I wouldn't have to work hard. Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. If I were a biddy biddy rich, Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Song Lyrics for Soundtrack Fiddler on the Roof:
JHNCLNVYOUNREHNCWNRUOYNWUIEWRJNBZXNBCXNNSDHJHJLAJKLAUSAJNJMNFMNNZMN,CXZ,MZXVCHJGIOOPRE3848487DIUOUIY7887870324980324083008723VHIUEWLKJDSAKJFDJL;DJ MN;L MN,F;LL;'":o"il"eu*(u(#w&$*(&#&)&%*$#@^)w^#*&*#&*#$@&^!&*!^%$^*)!%&#)^*@(@#$(*^$^*$#)+@%)()(&%&)(30906909808792479856452775743389Q408%==5809908370864875934753 1 5000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000=15,0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000^%*^$^*^#(_+_+*(&)&*&%#!@$%*&)()+==0=89&*%)^$#@##$!#@$#$&~%#$$&$*&($^(*&)()&*%#$!@$^#@!^#^*^)(*(^&^#$@@#$#&&^*%^%*^*(&%&())(*^%$%^$##$##%%$#%&&)(_*(^^%$@%$%^&$##$^&^^^%$%%^%*&#$#!@$%*^(*(#$^%#
that ROYAL little lad is a NAZI,
see the scandal Prince Harry Nazi Shock! http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2005/01/prince_harry_na.asp |