[Gllug] plurals

Jack Bertram jack at jbertram.net
Fri Jun 20 11:18:37 UTC 2003


* Dylan <dylan at dylan.me.uk> [030620 11:37]:
> On Thursday 19 June 2003 20:53, Jack Bertram wrote:
> > * Pete Ryland <pdr at pdr.cx> [030619 20:26]:
> > > If I was going to the shops, I'd bring you back some chocolate.
> >
> > This isn't a subjunctive.
> 
> Well, it depends how you say it. With _IF_ attracting primary stress, it has 
> hypothetical force, OTOH with _WAS_ attracting primary stress it has negative 
> force, so to that extent subjunctive resides in a stress pattern more than in 
> a verbal conjugation rule.
> 
> Just to be fair - I should mention that I am a theoretical linguist 
> specialising in English syntax and morphology. Sorry.

Oh, crikey.  Couldn't you have said this before!

Nonetheless, interesting discussion.  Always good to learn something new.

jack

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