Conversation started Jul 17, 2015 at 1:15.
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
Jul 17, 2015 01:15
in ELL's Cabin, May 15 at 7:11, by snailboat
In the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, the authors generally start by cataloging the forms in use, then describing how those forms are used
> In the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, the authors generally start by cataloging the forms in use, then describing how those forms are used
So for example, walk is what they call the plain form of the verb. They explain that this form is used in imperative, infinitival, and subjunctive constructions.
They would call it the imperative-infinitive-subjunctive form, but that's a bit too wordy, so they went with "plain" :-)
They don't posit three separate forms (imperative, infinitive, subjunctive) because these forms are always identical for all verbs
Could be important.
But I can't figure out the tense of:
> Walk over here.
The simple present, imperative mood?
​
> In persuasion, your message has to focus on emotions, all the while maintaining a balance between logic and feelings. Logic and emotion are the two elements that make for perfect persuasion. We can be persuasive using only logic or only emotion, but the effect will be short-term and unbalanced.
> westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/laws_persuasion/chap14.html
Good point!
Anonymous
@DamkerngT. Oh, no. Imperatives don't bear tense.
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
So it's tenseless?
Anonymous
Well, it doesn't change form to reflect how the situation it describes is located in time.
Anonymous
By its nature the past is more or less ruled out, except in figures of speech:
Anonymous
> Do it now.
> Do it tomorrow.
Anonymous
Jul 17, 2015 01:28
> Do it! And I want it done yesterday!
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
nods
Anonymous
Although it might be possible with an imperative conditional:
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
Do it yesterday wouldn't make sense.
Anonymous
> Do that and he might have been killed!
Anonymous
What I just called "imperative conditionals" are coordinations of clauses in which one of the coordinates is imperative in form: "Drink lots of milk and you'll have strong bones!"
Anonymous
Jul 17, 2015 01:29
The second clause is taken as a conditional consequence of the first clause, which is imperative in form
Anonymous
I dunno, might be the Eight and a Halfth Conditional.
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
Hehe!
I just got a failure of communication with FumbleFingers a short while ago.
Anonymous
The system of mood has pretty much vanished from Present Day English.
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
I thought it could get worse if I tried to explain more. So, I left my thoughts up there here instead.
@snailboat I think imperative sentences is one corner that most teachers try to avoid saying anything about its tense/aspect.
Anonymous
So I'd cross out three of those words: "The simple present, imperative mood"
Anonymous
Jul 17, 2015 01:33
Pretend I crossed out the comma, too. :-)
Damkerng T.
Damkerng T.
Got it!
Anonymous
Heck, we can even cross out the. Who needs articles, anyway?
Anonymous
Imperative!
 
Conversation ended Jul 17, 2015 at 1:33.