At 04:25 PM 3/13/2008, 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.

DD: I agree. Now consider that in the expression "If I were King, 
..." the probability hint is given in the preposition. The "were 
[Subjunctive use.]" is redundant. {Yes, redundancy is important.} If 
you say, "If I was King." the idea still comes across that you are 
not. "If I am King . . .". Gives a different slant. Sort of a , "Well 
then, now that I am, here is what I am going to do." Hmm. Note 
another item. If we move to the past, suggesting kingship probability 
or impossibility in the past, it becomes, colloquially, "If I'd of 
been King ...".  Is that really "of" ? Is it an understood by the 
speaker and listener to be slurred, "If I had have been King..."? {My 
mind blocks out the, "Iffen I dove been King . . ."} 

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