[Grammar] Subject in the Jussive Subjunctive

[sakuramin]

"Please, Mary, let the boy come again."

Which is the subject of this sentence? Mary or the boy?

Thanks!

 

[SoothingDave]

It's "you." An unspoken, understood "you" which is the subject of the verb "let."

 

[5jj]

Welcome to the forum, sakuramin.

I consider that we have an imperative form there, not a jussive subjunctive. Let (= allow ... to) is in the imperative mode. The subject of imperatives is generally held to be an understood 'you'.

 

[Barb_D]

But since "Mary" is the person being addressed, is it the case that Mary is the logical subject, but the grammatical subject remains the "implied you"?

 

[engee30]

But since "Mary" is the person being addressed, is it the case that Mary is the logical subject, but the grammatical subject remains the "implied you"?

To me, Barb_D, Mary is a vocative, and the covert subject is still you. What's more, if the grammatical subject is you, the notional one is the boy, as it would be him to do the coming (here, the boy is in the objective case though).

 

[MikeNewYork]

To me, Barb_D, Mary is a vocative, and the covert subject is still you. What's more, if the grammatical subject is you, the notional one is the boy, as it would be him to do the coming (here, the boy is in the objective case though).

The sentence's verb is "let". "Boy" cannot be the subject of that verb. "Come" is a bare infinitive, and at least in traditional grammar, it cannot take a subject.

 

[Barb_D]

I can't hear "vocative" without picturing the Monty Python scene when John Cleese is painting graffiti on the walls and the Roman solider corrects his (Latin) grammar.

Romani...

That makes sense, though. Mary is vocative and the implied subject remains "you."

 

[MikeNewYork]

I can't hear "vocative" without picturing the Monty Python scene when John Cleese is painting graffiti on the walls and the Roman solider corrects his (Latin) grammar.

Romani...

That makes sense, though. Mary is vocative and the implied subject remains "you."

But it is also true, that "Mary" defines "you".

 

[sakuramin]

Thank you, all for helping me with this. I'm actually studying Hebrew, where "let-come" occurs as a single word (single verb) in the jussive subjunctive mood. I know this is the wrong forum for Hebrew questions, but I thought I should figure out the sentence in English before I try understanding it in Hebrew. What you've said about the implied "you" was exactly what I thought it should be, but I also thought it was awkward that the subject doesn't actually "appear" in the sentence. But I guess it isn't! Thanks again!

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you, all for helping me with this. I'm actually studying Hebrew, where "let-come" occurs as a single word (single verb) in the jussive subjunctive mood. I know this is the wrong forum for Hebrew questions, but I thought I should figure out the sentence in English before I try understanding it in Hebrew. What you've said about the implied "you" was exactly what I thought it should be, but I also thought it was awkward that the subject doesn't actually "appear" in the sentence. But I guess it isn't! Thanks again!

In the imperative mod in English, an "implied you" is the normal subject.

Go to bed!
Leave here immediately!
Take the briefcase!