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Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
"if it be"
Hi,
Upon reading English newspapers I have many times come across if-clauses formed with "if" plus "be (infinitive)". I do not find any such rule in my Grammar books. Example: "If music be the food of love, download". Why does it say "be" and not "is"? I understand that such "if - be - phrases" are more often found in old or literary texts, but the above joke from an Indian newspaper shows that this does not seem to be a general rule. Would be happy if you could clarify.
Thanks, Burkhard
Upon reading English newspapers I have many times come across if-clauses formed with "if" plus "be (infinitive)". I do not find any such rule in my Grammar books. Example: "If music be the food of love, download". Why does it say "be" and not "is"? I understand that such "if - be - phrases" are more often found in old or literary texts, but the above joke from an Indian newspaper shows that this does not seem to be a general rule. Would be happy if you could clarify.
Thanks, Burkhard
Top answer
This is the present subjunctive form of the verb to be -- I/you/he/we/they be -- and still appears, if less frequently nowadays, in very formal conditional and concessive statements: Be he man or mouse, he must defend his rights. Even though they be ugly, they will eventually all find husbands . Your Indian example, by the way, is a derivative of Shakespeare (the opening line of Twelfth Night )-- If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.
- This is the present subjunctive form of the verb to be -- I/you/he/we/they be -- and still appears, if less frequently nowadays, in very formal conditional and concessive statements: Be he man or mouse, he must defend his rights.
- Even though they be ugly, they will eventually all find husbands .
- Your Indian example, by the way, is a derivative of Shakespeare (the opening line of Twelfth Night )-- If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.
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2 Answers
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This is the present subjunctive form of the verb to be-- I/you/he/we/they be-- and still appears, if less frequently nowadays, in very formal conditional and concessive statements:
Be he man or mouse, he must defend his rights.
Even though they be ugly, they will eventually all find husbands.
Your Indian example, by the way, is a derivative of Shake
Be he man or mouse, he must defend his rights.
Even though they be ugly, they will eventually all find husbands.
Your Indian example, by the way, is a derivative of Shake
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Thanks a lot. This is a perfectly clear and precise answer & very helpful. Burkhard
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