- Joined
- Oct 14, 2010
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- British English
- Home Country
- Czech Republic
- Current Location
- Czech Republic
Those who have followed the various discussions on the subjunctive in UE forums might be interested in something I noticed about thirty minutes into the film version of Le Carré's 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'.The speakers are Connie Sachs and George S[FONT="]miley:
1. C: I requested that he be checked out.
2. C: But what if the story was true?
3. G: Why would you salute a cultural attach[/FONT][FONT="]é?
....C: Exactly - unless he was a war veteran himself, and - if he was - why would he hide the fact?
I doubt if many people would have used the present subjunctive in #1, even 35 years ago, when the film was set. However, Connie, an upper-middle-class Oxford don, almost certainly would have used it.
Rather more people would have used a subjunctive in #2, and would still do so today. Connie certainly would have done so. A surprising oversight on the part of the scriptwriters, in my opinion.
There is perhaps an excuse in #3. Connie and George could be accepting that 'he' was a war veteran.
[/FONT][FONT="]
[/FONT]
1. C: I requested that he be checked out.
2. C: But what if the story was true?
3. G: Why would you salute a cultural attach[/FONT][FONT="]é?
....C: Exactly - unless he was a war veteran himself, and - if he was - why would he hide the fact?
I doubt if many people would have used the present subjunctive in #1, even 35 years ago, when the film was set. However, Connie, an upper-middle-class Oxford don, almost certainly would have used it.
Rather more people would have used a subjunctive in #2, and would still do so today. Connie certainly would have done so. A surprising oversight on the part of the scriptwriters, in my opinion.
There is perhaps an excuse in #3. Connie and George could be accepting that 'he' was a war veteran.
[/FONT][FONT="]
[/FONT]