A Question of Queenie

Share your memories and stories from the Hertford Christ's Hospital School, which closed in 1985, when the two schools integrated to the Horsham site....

Moderator: Moderators

Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by Angela Woodford »

It's not something do do with the subjunctive, is it?

I confess :oops: I never really understood about the subjunctive. Might it still be possible for me?
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
Fjgrogan
Button Grecian
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:56 pm
Real Name: Frances Grogan (nee Haley)
Location: Surbiton, Surrey

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by Fjgrogan »

Angela - I see the subjunctive as somewhat ephemeral or conditional - something that hasn't quite happened, hovering out of reach. One example is 'if I were you .......' rather than the more colloquial 'if I was you ..........'. I cannot always explain the difference; it somehow becomes instinctive to know when to use it, and I still do! Some languages would use the conditional anyway.
Frances Grogan (Haley) 6's 1956 - 62

'A clean house is a sign of a broken computer.'
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by Angela Woodford »

I've just been grappling with secateurs taking having-fruited blackberry canes out of my Nature Hedge and that dratted blasted "to be about to be" is still in my head and I can't get rid of it. I hear Queenie's voice! (I always will.)

A prickly problem... :lol:! Thank you Mary, Jo and Frances!
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
User avatar
Jo
Button Grecian
Posts: 2221
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:36 pm
Real Name: Jo Sidebottom
Location: Milton Keynes
Contact:

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by Jo »

Well, I stand corrected! Even a casual Google confirms that the future infinitive does, indeed, exist (sorry, Mary :oops:) and describes exactly that construction ("to be about to be").

There are, as you might expect, masses of sites about Latin grammar, but the first hit seems as good as any: http://ancienthistory.about.com/library ... stconj.htm.

Ah, memories :lol:
Jo
5.7, 1967-75
Angela Woodford
Button Grecian
Posts: 2880
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:55 am
Real Name: Angela Marsh
Location: Exiled Londoner, now in Staffordshire.

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by Angela Woodford »

The future infinitive.

There! Terrifying, isn't it? What a thought. :shock:
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
User avatar
icomefromalanddownunder
Button Grecian
Posts: 1228
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:13 am
Real Name: Caroline Payne (nee Barrett)
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Re: A Question of Queenie

Post by icomefromalanddownunder »

How about a split future infinitive

to be about to boldly be?
Post Reply