[Gllug] plurals

[Jack Bertram]

* Dylan <dylan at dylan.me.uk> [030619 20:01]:
> On Thursday 19 June 2003 19:52, Jack Bertram wrote:
> > * Dylan <dylan at dylan.me.uk> [030619 19:46]:
> > > Due to the general
> > > and specific characteristics of the English verb system, only BE and HAVE
> > > can be used subjunctively, and the form for HAVE is _had_, hence we don't
> > > notice its use.
> >
> > Not quite true - e.g.,
> >
> > If he delight in him, let him deliver him
> >
> > (from the Messiah) is a good example of the subjunctive in the third
> > person.  The third person singular subjunctive looks the same as the
> > indicative but doesn't have the trailing "s".  It can be used in any of
> > the constructions you describe.
> 
> Indeed, but Handel is hardly current ussage, is it, even when it was written 
> it was archaic.

Well, it was a convenient example.  I take your point, although I do think that
you can still use this form in modern speech. (Provided you're prepared to 
sound pedantic).

Thinking about it though, I suppose I would tend to say

"If he were to hasten..."

rather than

"If he hasten..."

so I guess it's largely extinct.

Cheers,
Jack



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