My mother would rather me a pauper than be a dishonest person.

[tufguy]

1) My mother would rather me a pauper than be a dishonest person.

2) I would rather get killed than betray my country.

Please check my sentences.

 

[jutfrank]

1) My mother would rather I was a pauper than a dishonest person.
2) I would rather die than betray my country.

 

[Barb_D]

This American would use the subjunctive in the first sentence, rather than "rather I was."

Also, while rather formal sounding, "My mother would rather have me a pauper than a thief" would work too. (I find "dishonest person" clumsy.)

(Edited to correct to "subjunctive" above - apologies for the wrong word in the original post.)

 

[GoesStation]

I imagine Barb was thinking of the subjunctive, were​.

 

[jutfrank]

The subjunctive form would be ...would rather I be...

 

[tufguy]

The subjunctive form would be ...would rather I be...

I would rather you were a clerk than a teacher.

I would rather live in America than Somalia.

I would prefer living in America than living in Somalia.

 

[Tdol]

Also, while rather formal sounding, "My mother would rather have me a pauper than a thief" would work too.

This works in formal BrE too. You could also use see.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, I'm sorry about "subjective" rather than "subjunctive" - that was just a flat-out mistake from writing too quickly.

I'd use "were" if we're talking about now, and "be" if we're talking about career options. (Yes, I chose that phrase a bit facetiously.)

Exactly as Piscean says.

 

[teechar]

talking about career options.

A fully qualified, highly experienced, certified pauper.