Tough guy or not, I appreciate what you wrote with its interesting word
distinctions.  Thank you.
 
Linda
 

Linda Comerford
317.786.6404
[log in to unmask]
 <blocked::http://www.comerfordconsulting.com/> www.comerfordconsulting.com
 

  _____  

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dick Veit
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 11:02 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Supposed versus Suppose


My explanation to a class might go like this:

"Suppose" has the primary meaning of assume or speculate. A supposition,
after all, is an assumption or speculation. In the active voice, we say
things like these:


*	People suppose that I am a tough guy, but I'm really not.

Sentences like this have passive equivalents:


*	I am supposed to be a tough guy, but I'm really not.

In the passive, in addition to assumed, "supposed" has broadened to acquire
the second meaning of expected, so that the following can have two different
meanings:


*	I am supposed to be a tough guy, 


This can mean either that I am mistakenly believed to be a tough guy or that
I am expected/required to be a tough guy. The latter, unlike the former
meaning, has no active equivalent, so that "People suppose me to be a tough
guy" can only mean that they assume this; it cannot mean that they expect or
require it. The second meaning of the passive form is now used more
frequently than the first, so that "Students are supposed to hand in their
homework on time" can only mean expected, never assumed. 

Dick


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