Edith:
Those were the sentences the Cambridge International Dictionary
of English used to illustrate "lest." I'd say they are
further evidence that distinctive subjunctive verb forms are dying
out--or at least now coexist with declarative forms used in subjunctive
situations.
Dick
At 11:39 AM 7/16/2001, you wrote:
Dick, will you respond to another
question on the same sentences?! I was
surprised by the past tense on annoyed; I would have used the
infinitive
form--lest they annoy them; lest he annoy them. Likewise, in the
second
sentence, I would use ellipsis for the verb, but if called upon to
supply
it, it would be be, not is. So is this subjunctive dead or did it
never
exist except in my head? If I had my grammar books at work, I would
look
this up, but I have taken them all home.
Edith Wollin
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Veit, UNCW English Department
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
The following is a direct quotation from the Cambridge
International
Dictionary of English <
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=lest*1+0:
lest / conjunction / LITERARY
in order to prevent any possibility that (something will
happen)
They were afraid to complain about the noise lest they annoyed the
people
next door.
Lest you think the film is too violent, I must assure you that it
is not.