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TANGENT Rebekah Send a noteboard - 18/12/2010 09:56:31 AM
Many people around here can tell you that misuse of the subjunctive or failure to use the subjunctive is a major pet peeve of mine. A sad commentary on the state of education is that the hypercorrection of "me" to "I" has supplanted the subjunctive misuse as the thing that most irritates me, linguistically, in my native language. I've heard people say, "Well, between you and me...sorry, between you and I ... ". I usually tell them they're wrong unless they're paying clients, in which case they can say whatever they want to. Even then, if I know them well and know they won't be offended I would correct a client.

That is my major pet peeve (and the phrase pet peeve, for that matter). I have started teaching people at work how to use me and I, it gets to me so much. Had a 10 minute conversation trying to teach my manager the difference. I think he understood it in the end. Maybe. I don't hold out much hope, to be honest.

Sorry. That wasn't my final point. My final point is that I want to bring back "thou" in English because it has a valid function. I think it is particularly important because too many Americans, especially in the Facebook age, have a very poor ability to distinguish real friends from acquaintances.

Heh. I love "thou". I fully support your cause.
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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Maurice Druon - The Accursed Kings - 13/12/2010 08:19:21 PM 20184 Views
Thank you for giving this review - I had forgotten the name of the author and series. - 13/12/2010 09:29:59 PM 2420 Views
You're welcome (and thanks for the correction, edited). - 13/12/2010 10:23:55 PM 2422 Views
I know it's not "literary". (EDITED) - 13/12/2010 10:42:33 PM 2273 Views
Subjunctive imperfect, yeah. - 13/12/2010 10:51:34 PM 2398 Views
And with regard to your edit, I don't have a problem with passé simples myself. - 13/12/2010 10:53:59 PM 2686 Views
But how can one read any French literature at all without encountering the passé simple? - 15/12/2010 03:39:37 AM 2550 Views
The point is it is a "literary" tense - 15/12/2010 10:19:59 AM 2508 Views
Why would I read a lower style of book (I won't use the term "literature" to describe them) ? - 16/12/2010 06:11:36 AM 2293 Views
I don't want to start a fight here, but your attitude is seriously starting to grate. - 16/12/2010 06:54:30 PM 2563 Views
I don't care. Start a fight. - 16/12/2010 08:24:22 PM 2495 Views
Well, or we can have a civil debate on French culture, I suppose... also fun. - 16/12/2010 09:09:20 PM 2498 Views
Well, I'm up for that, too. - 17/12/2010 05:48:39 AM 2490 Views
Good. - 17/12/2010 09:01:37 PM 2842 Views
Ah - I support the subjunctive!!! - 18/12/2010 05:10:38 AM 2660 Views
TANGENT - 18/12/2010 09:56:31 AM 2507 Views
This whole conversation is just a pile of tangents, anyway. *NM* - 18/12/2010 01:30:09 PM 1136 Views
I enjoy the tangent. - 21/12/2010 12:43:23 AM 2196 Views
But you don't think its disappearance corresponds to a decline in American culture? - 18/12/2010 01:29:43 PM 2489 Views
I read Der Zauberberg in English already. - 21/12/2010 12:48:16 AM 2301 Views
About the passé simple, what Camilla said. As for medieval vocabulary... - 15/12/2010 07:17:44 PM 2512 Views
"Ne...point" is used in Stendhal all the time. - 16/12/2010 06:08:40 AM 2340 Views
That looks like a really fascinating series. - 13/12/2010 10:56:52 PM 2385 Views
Step up your French lessons!!! - 13/12/2010 11:50:21 PM 2622 Views
That is a great reason to learn French. - 14/12/2010 07:29:54 PM 2309 Views
Re: That is a great reason to learn French. - 14/12/2010 08:13:59 PM 2288 Views
Fancier English often turns out to be French, of course. *NM* - 17/12/2010 06:41:19 PM 1225 Views
Ooooh - 14/12/2010 07:41:03 PM 2229 Views
I'm really not quite sure how you managed that. - 14/12/2010 08:09:55 PM 2389 Views
Re: I'm really not quite sure how you managed that. - 14/12/2010 08:13:48 PM 2304 Views
I meant Bertière, yeah. Dumas works too, though. - 14/12/2010 08:18:30 PM 2378 Views

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