The subjunctive has been disappearing from our language for a very long
time. Grammarians have complained that its use has been declining at
least as far back as Priestly in the 18th century.
I doubt there's really been much of a change in at least the last 100
years. It's rare in speech, but still maintained in more formal writing.
This really isn't an issue of active language change as much as it is of
different registers, each of which has remained fairly stable for a long
time.
It's also worth noting that the so-called present subjunctive is alive
and well in mandative contexts (e.g., "The teacher required that her
students be polite").
Karl
Veit, Richard wrote:
> That fact that half of a group of educated speakers did not use the
> subjunctive to describe a hypothetical situation is more evidence
> suggesting that the subjunctive is disappearing from our language.
>
> Dick Veit
>
> ________________________________
>
> Richard Veit
> Department of English
> University of North Carolina Wilmington
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Di Desidero
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:36 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Subjunctive
>
> At a recent (large) faculty meeting, one of the administrators ran a
> 'warm-up' activity. The idea was for faculty members to stand up,
> introduce themselves, and talk about what they would be doing on a
> Saturday morning if they were not attending this meeting.
>
> I kept track: At least half of the speakers said "If I was not here"
> while almost half said "If I were not here." I was surprised, given
> that this was an educated group of people and the speaking occasion was
> not all that informal.
>
> Oh, the things we find to interest ourselves!
>
> Linda
>
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> Linda Di Desidero, Ph.D.
>
> Associate Professor
>
> Assistant Academic Director of Writing
>
> Communication, Arts, and Humanities
>
> University of Maryland University College
>
> 3501 University Boulevard East
>
> Adelphi, MD 20783-8083
>
>
>
> (240) 582-2830
>
> (240) 582-2993 (fax)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kathleen M. Ward
> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 1:47 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Subjunctive
>
> Well, it does, of course (she should have said "If Obama were a white
> man") but the subjunctive has been disappearing from English for
> centuries now. I think it has become pretty rare in speech. (I
> take it that this was an interview quotation?)
>
> Kathleen Ward
> UC Davis
>
>
> On Mar 12, 2008, at 9:30 AM, DD Farms wrote:
>
>> DD: Am I a bit confused? Consider the quote from Geraldine Ferraro,
>> [NYT 12 Mar 08, Maureen Dowd.] "If Obama was a white man, he would not
>
>> be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he would
>> not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is.
>> And the country is caught up in the concept." I thought High Standard
>
>> English required the use of the subjunctive in stating a condition
>> contrary to fact.
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