[Grammar] At or In

[Allen165]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Jasmin,

I believe that you are 100% correct when it comes to American English:

I recommend that your son attend Harvard. (subjunctive)

According to our esteemed Professor Quirk, however, the British people

have a a wider choice of "correct" choices. His book gives this

example:

The employees have demanded that the manager


resign
should resign
resigns

I have read that more British people are using the subjunctive, perhaps

because of the American influence on British English.

I was recently taken aback when a prominent American politician

said something like:

God forbid our political party forgets its principles.

*****

By the way, Professor Quirk and his colleagues remind us that

sometimes a "subjunctive verb" actually requires the indicative:



They insisted that we not eat meat.

They insisted that we do not eat meat.

(I guess the first sentence is a strong suggestion; the second one,

a refutation of our claim that we are meat eaters.)


***** NOT A TEACHER *****

So the sentence "They insisted that we do not eat meat." doesn't use the subjunctive? As I understand it, all it means is, "We insist that we do not eat meat." "They" and "we" refer to the same group of people, right?

 

[TheParser]

So the sentence "They insisted that we do not eat meat." doesn't use the subjunctive? As I understand it, all it means is, "We insist that we do not eat meat." "They" and "we" refer to the same group of people, right?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Jasmin,

What an interesting interpretation you have offered. You may be

absolutely correct. (P.S. In trying to answer another post recently,

I discovered that I may not say "very correct." That is, you are

correct or not correct. But I can say "absolutely." I learn so much

from learners' questions!!! But I digress.)

I had never thought of your interpretation. I just assumed that "they"

and "we" were different groups.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith: We raise cattle. That's how we make our living.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones: Oh, we eat tons of beef. We will certainly

support you.

Mr. Smith (Mrs. Smith was demurely silent): I really would appreciate

it if you two were honest. We know that you two are, in fact,

vegetarians. (Translation: you two are lying.)

(The next day the Joneses are speaking with the Andersons)

Mr. Anderson: So what did the Smiths say when you told them you are

meat aficionados?

Mrs. Jones: Oh, they insisted that we do (did?) not eat meat!!!

***** NOT A TEACHER *****