A few unrelated questions
Aug. 12th, 2025 02:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly(Some of which I may have asked before, in which case, forgive me.)
1. People often do say that the English subjunctive is in decline. However, literally nobody I've ever heard say this has provided any sort of evidence. Is there any data on this other than "yeah, feels that way to me"?
1a. I've also heard that the subjunctive, or at least some forms of the subjunctive, is more common in USA English than UK English, from somewhat more authoritative sources but with roughly the same amount of evidence.
2. I got into it with somebody on the subject of "flammable/inflammable". I am aware that there are signs that warn about inflammable materials, and also signs warning about flammable materials. Is it actually the case that anybody has ever been confused and thought they were being warned that something could not catch on fire? Or is that just an urban legend / just-so story to explain why the two words mean the same thing and can be found on the same sorts of signs?
3. Not a language question! I've recently found one of the Myth Adventures books in my house. Gosh, I haven't re-read these in 20 years. Worth a re-read, or oh god no, save it for the recycle bin?
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Trucks and Tuks: Decorated Vehicles of South Asia – in pictures
Don’t Be Cruel: Photos of a Roma performer fighting discrimination, one Elvis song at a time
He died in the Empress of Ireland shipwreck. A century later, his belongings found his family
Three September 11 victims' remains identified by new genetic techniques after nearly 24 years
Hungry goat herds help fight fires in Spain's Catalonia
Feel sticky this summer? That's because it's been record muggy East of the Rockies (No shit!)
Israel protesters intensify pressure against plan to expand Gaza war
Pets end up in LA shelters after owners detained in immigration raids
1. People often do say that the English subjunctive is in decline. However, literally nobody I've ever heard say this has provided any sort of evidence. Is there any data on this other than "yeah, feels that way to me"?
1a. I've also heard that the subjunctive, or at least some forms of the subjunctive, is more common in USA English than UK English, from somewhat more authoritative sources but with roughly the same amount of evidence.
2. I got into it with somebody on the subject of "flammable/inflammable". I am aware that there are signs that warn about inflammable materials, and also signs warning about flammable materials. Is it actually the case that anybody has ever been confused and thought they were being warned that something could not catch on fire? Or is that just an urban legend / just-so story to explain why the two words mean the same thing and can be found on the same sorts of signs?
3. Not a language question! I've recently found one of the Myth Adventures books in my house. Gosh, I haven't re-read these in 20 years. Worth a re-read, or oh god no, save it for the recycle bin?
A shocking record: Lightning bolt stretched 515 miles, crossed three states
Tomatoes randomly mated with another plant 9 million years ago. The result? Potatoes.
Trucks and Tuks: Decorated Vehicles of South Asia – in pictures
Don’t Be Cruel: Photos of a Roma performer fighting discrimination, one Elvis song at a time
He died in the Empress of Ireland shipwreck. A century later, his belongings found his family
Three September 11 victims' remains identified by new genetic techniques after nearly 24 years
Hungry goat herds help fight fires in Spain's Catalonia
Feel sticky this summer? That's because it's been record muggy East of the Rockies (No shit!)
Israel protesters intensify pressure against plan to expand Gaza war
Pets end up in LA shelters after owners detained in immigration raids
no subject
Date: 2025-08-11 04:52 pm (UTC)For some reason, I thought of this, from Guys and Dolls:
Sky Masterson:
When I was a young man about to go out into the world, my father says to me a very valuable thing. He says to me like this: "Son,” the old guy says, “I am sorry that I am not able to bankroll you to a very large start, but not having any potatoes to give you I am now going to stake you to some very valuable advice. One of these days in your travels a guy is going to come to you and show you a nice brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the Jack of Spades jump out of the deck and squirt cider in your ear. But son, do not bet this man, for as sure as you stand there you are going to wind up with an earful of cider.” Now, Nathan, I do not claim that you have been clocking Mindy's cheesecake—