Comments on: To the Contrary http://malblog.schlagergroup.com/2007/09/11/to-the-contrary/ The blog of Marcia Merryman-Means Sat, 19 May 2012 02:18:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: charles w abbott http://malblog.schlagergroup.com/2007/09/11/to-the-contrary/#comment-145 charles w abbott Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:48:58 +0000 http://malblog.schlagergroup.com/2007/09/11/to-the-contrary/#comment-145 Did you hear guy noir on "prairie home companion," constructing one correct subjunctive phrase after another? It was quite impressive! This was several months ago, so its a good thing I am just getting up to date with your blog now. H.L. Mencken hypothesized that the subjunctive was a rare flower of English (or at least of "American"), esp. from ca. 1850 to 1920, and that it was fast fading toward oblivion even as we writing in the 20s and 30s and 40s. Note that he was a keen descriptivist, without much of an authoritarian streak. Did you hear guy noir on “prairie home companion,” constructing one correct subjunctive phrase after another? It was quite impressive! This was several months ago, so its a good thing I am just getting up to date with your blog now.

H.L. Mencken hypothesized that the subjunctive was a rare flower of English (or at least of “American”), esp. from ca. 1850 to 1920, and that it was fast fading toward oblivion even as we writing in the 20s and 30s and 40s.

Note that he was a keen descriptivist, without much of an authoritarian streak.

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