'I beg you won't mention it, sir.'

Question

Hello,Could you tell me please why the author uses ''won't'' here in this sentence? Is it typical for literature only?'I beg you won't mention it, sir.'Isn't it a mistake to say ; I beg you not to mention it or I beg you don't mention it or I beg you not mention it too?

Avangi · Accepted Answer

ninania'I beg you won't mention it, sir.'

This is old fashioned. (literary, if you will)
I hope that you will not tell anyone. (modern)

All of the versions you quote are dated, but correct, in my opinion.

I think "I beg you don't mention it" needs a comma. I may be wrong.
I take it as, "I beg you sir, please don't mention it."

Maybe Shakespeare uses too many commas:
I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am. (But, "I pray you speak of me as I am" needs a comma.)

"I pray/beg [that] you won't mention it" doesn't need a comma.
"I hope you don't/won't mention it" is fine - modern.

I have trouble with "I beg you don't mention it." Maybe I'm wrong.

I'm okay with, "I beg you, don't mention it," but it's dated. To me, the meaning is a bit different.

ninania tell me please why the author uses ''won't'' here

Not sure I answered this. "Won't is fine in both old and modern English.
I hope you don't /won't take offense.
I hope you don't/won't stay out late.
Both forms refer to future time, in my opinion. (The hoping is now, but the taking offense is later.)
Hoping and wishing formerly called for the subjunctive.
In "I beg you won't mention it," vs "I beg [that] you don't mention it,"
I'm not sure if we should call "won't" subjunctive.

CalifJim · Answer

ninaniatell me please why the author uses ''won't''

It's the same as "will not". "that" is omitted. "you" is the subject of the clause which says what is being begged for. The person being begged to do something is not mentioned, but can easily be assumed also to be "you".

I beg that you will not mention it. (I beg you that you will not mention it.)

You are correct that an alternate structure with the same meaning puts "you" in a slightly different role, as the person being begged to do something. The subject of the clause which says what is being begged for is not mentioned, but can easily be assumed also to be "you".

I beg you not to mention it. (I beg you for you not to mention it.)

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Hi, Jim,

In "I wish you wouldn't mention that again!," may we choose between two interpretations:
(1) I hope it doesn't happen again;
(2) I hope you will choose not to do it again? (That is, "I beg you.")
(#1 being impersonal and #2 being personal?)

Sorry to ramble! I guess I'm also asking about the difference between "wish" and "hope."
"I wish you wouldn't" vs. "I hope you don't."
It seems like even the first one is not necessarily a request, but that most people would take it that way.

??

Well, okay, you can say "I hope you don't run into a storm [while] crossing the mountains,"

but not, "I wish you wouldn't run into a storm in the mountains."

Rgdz, - A.

Anonymous · Answer

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Anonymous · Answer

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CalifJim · Answer

Avangi I guess I'm also asking about the difference between "wish" and "hope."

My research hasn't gotten that far yet! I'm still working out that "wish"/"hope" thing myself.

In any case, to me, (I'm pretty sure that) "I wish you wouldn't ..." is always a complaint (whether strong or mild) about your habit of ...-ing (imperfective aspect), so I don't think I would ever apply it to an event (perfective aspect), e.g., your doing something again. Thus,

I wish you wouldn't mention that again!

is anomalous to my ear. I would have chosen "I hope you won't/don't" or "please don't". I would have reserved "wish" (with "mention") for something like:

I wish you wouldn't keep mentioning that all the time.

AvangiWell, okay, you can say "I hope you don't run into a storm [while] crossing the mountains,"

but not, "I wish you wouldn't run into a storm in the mountains."

As above, this is because running into a storm is eventive (perfective aspect).

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimI wish you wouldn't mention that again!

is anomalous to my ear.

Is that tantamount to being unidiomatic? (I'm hopingnot.)

- A.

CalifJim · Answer

Avangiunidiomatic

I suppose you could say that it's unidiomatic to me. It's the "again" that messes with my mind. Maybe my opinion is idiosyncratic on this one.

CJ

'I beg you won't mention it, sir.'

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