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Coloraday Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Which construction does this conditional sentence conform?
Should she smoak my design upon Cynthia , I were in a fine pickle.
Which construction does this conditional sentence conform? I mean Why it is not I'd be in a fine pickle or ... .
Thanks for your answers
Which construction does this conditional sentence conform? I mean Why it is not I'd be in a fine pickle or ... .
Thanks for your answers
Top answer
This sentence is written by someone who is not fluent in English, so it is pointless to analyze it. There is no such verb as smoak.
- This sentence is written by someone who is not fluent in English, so it is pointless to analyze it.
- There is no such verb as smoak.
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9 Answers
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This sentence is written by someone who is not fluent in English, so it is pointless to analyze it.
There is no such verb as smoak.
There is no such verb as smoak.
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This sentence is from The Double Dealer by William Congreve , a great english comedy writer in 18 th century. And for the meaning of Smoak I'd refer you to this page.
Thanks
Thanks
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Coloraday:
Sorry, but if you had indicated the source in your first post, I would have looked in my OED and given a different answer. "Smoak" is not listed in the on-line dictionaries. The style might also be regional, as well as old.
Sorry, but if you had indicated the source in your first post, I would have looked in my OED and given a different answer. "Smoak" is not listed in the on-line dictionaries. The style might also be regional, as well as old.
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coloradayShould she smoak my design upon Cynthia , I were in a fine pickle.This is obviously not modern English. It was written long ago, in a time when the grammar of English allowed such structures.
Which construction does this conditional sentence conform to?
Archaic structure: Should h
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AlpheccaStarsColoraday:
Sorry, but if you had indicated the source in your first post, I would have looked in my OED and given a different answer. "Smoak" is not listed in the on-line dictionaries. The style might also be regional, as well as old.
Sorry , I should have indicated the source.
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CalifJimArchaic structure: Should he ask Lucy that question, she were quite embarrassed.Where is your source for these sentences?
Modern equivalent: If he asked Lucy that question, she would be quite embarrassed.
CalifJimWhich construction does this conditional sentence conform
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coloradayWhere is your source for these sentences?In my head. I made up an example to show the contrast between archaic grammar and modern grammar. What did you expect? Shakespeare?
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I think your head is not a dependable reference for archaic grammar.
thank you
thank you
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CJ is quite right. Cf.
1. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly (Macbeth)
The construction is:
2. If X were the case, Y were the case.
The form with the subjunctive in the main clause (the "apodosis") preceded the construction with "would":
3. If X were the case, Y would be the case.
It began to disappear from
1. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly (Macbeth)
The construction is:
2. If X were the case, Y were the case.
The form with the subjunctive in the main clause (the "apodosis") preceded the construction with "would":
3. If X were the case, Y would be the case.
It began to disappear from
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