spice1 · M
I never liked Harry Potter but did read some of the books, I thought it was the most awful English.
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@spice1 I didn’t like Harry Potter either when I first watched some of the movies before, but I suddenly started to love it after I rewatched them again recently lol As a Japanese, I find English used in both of Harry Potter movies and books are quite difficult… even tho they are made for children.
SW-User
The first is because it’s a hypothetical, he is implying that if they were…if he had said “that you were in xxx” that would have been stating a fact which would be incorrect.
The second is what is known as the royal we…in English the word we is sometimes used to mean a single person as the king used to when speaking for himself and the state.
The second is what is known as the royal we…in English the word we is sometimes used to mean a single person as the king used to when speaking for himself and the state.
SilkandLace2 · 46-50, M
@SW-User i didn't know the "we" had an actual term, that's really cool!
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@SW-User thanks, I didn’t know about the “royal we” at all!
And about the first one, I know that the past tense is used because it’s a hypothetical, but my question was why the order of “were” and “you” changes in the sentence…
And about the first one, I know that the past tense is used because it’s a hypothetical, but my question was why the order of “were” and “you” changes in the sentence…
onewithshoes · 22-25, F
The first is standard word order when 'were' is to be taken as a contrary-to-fact subjunctive.
The use of 'we' in the second example is not really standard, but often used when addressing a child or subordinate when the appropriateness of a noted behavior is being questioned -- as if indirectly asking: 'Is this what we (as members of our family, company, class, &c) should be doing'?
The use of 'we' in the second example is not really standard, but often used when addressing a child or subordinate when the appropriateness of a noted behavior is being questioned -- as if indirectly asking: 'Is this what we (as members of our family, company, class, &c) should be doing'?
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@onewithshoes thanks for ur explanation! But my question of the first one was why the order of “you” and “were” changes in this sentence. Then is it correct to say “If were you rich, I would’ve stolen money from you!” instead of “if you were xxx”?
onewithshoes · 22-25, F
@Arukas3
No, the charge in word order is an alternate way of forcing the subjunctive reading when 'if' is not used.
When 'if' is used the normal subject-verb-object order prevails.
No, the charge in word order is an alternate way of forcing the subjunctive reading when 'if' is not used.
When 'if' is used the normal subject-verb-object order prevails.
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@onewithshoes thank you so much! I leaned a new thing from you today :)
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
Ever noticed that few are actually grammatically correct?
When writing it's called artistic license and getting into the character role. You need to think broader. Especially when any character is speaking.
Descriptions on the other hand is different. There are no characters to have a role. Therefore it needs to be grammatically correct.
You might not even like a character, because of that person's grammar. Yet it's still apart of the character role.
When writing it's called artistic license and getting into the character role. You need to think broader. Especially when any character is speaking.
Descriptions on the other hand is different. There are no characters to have a role. Therefore it needs to be grammatically correct.
You might not even like a character, because of that person's grammar. Yet it's still apart of the character role.
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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@Arukas3 again everyone is different. And in the real world few are actually grammatical correct. An author must attempt to put things just as the character puts it.
Hence why there are quotes around what is said. Noticed I put the above in quotes?
It's a literal. Someone did say:
"All the world is a great big theater".
If there was a grammatical mistake, it still would be correct. Because the person did say it with the grammar mistake.
This is a literal of your form of speech:
It's exactly how you said it!
There is grammar mistakes in it! Yet it's still correct for me to say as a quotation.
Hence why there are quotes around what is said. Noticed I put the above in quotes?
It's a literal. Someone did say:
"All the world is a great big theater".
If there was a grammatical mistake, it still would be correct. Because the person did say it with the grammar mistake.
This is a literal of your form of speech:
"okay, so when writing an essay or stuff like that we have to care about the grammar, but when speaking a language we shouldn’t care about the grammar mistakes since we all are different?"
It's exactly how you said it!
There is grammar mistakes in it! Yet it's still correct for me to say as a quotation.
“I assure you that were you in Slytherin and your fate rested with me, the both of you would be on the train home tonight!”
Obviously, the character in reference is not a member of Slytherin - and, as such, Snape does not have the freedom to meter out punishment in the same way as he might if they were... So he's saying "If you were in Slytherin, you would both be on the train home tonight".
“Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?”
This is a typical power line, often used when you're caught doing something that you know that you shouldn't be.
It's a gentler way of saying "Why are you here when you know that it's against the school rules for you to be here at this time".
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@HootyTheNightOwl This is quite tricky… so if it is “I assure you [if] you were in Slytherin…”, the word order becomes “you were” ? And the word order changes because “that” is used instead of “if” in the actual sentence?
@Arukas3 "Were you" is a prefix to a question... like "Were you at the gym today?".
The word order is different because Snape doesn't want to know if the character is in Slytherin - he can tell that it's likely a Gryffindor because of the colour coded uniform.
He's saying "If you were" to acknowledge the fact that he is talking to a member of one of the other three houses. To phrase the statement any other way would suggest that he has some element of doubt in the event and he's trying to obtain further information "Were you in Slytherin common room after lights out tonight?" is a question.
"If you were in Slytherin common room after lights out tonight" leads you to the point where you can introduce consequences for actions that you don't agree with - which is what Snape is saying.
The word order is different because Snape doesn't want to know if the character is in Slytherin - he can tell that it's likely a Gryffindor because of the colour coded uniform.
He's saying "If you were" to acknowledge the fact that he is talking to a member of one of the other three houses. To phrase the statement any other way would suggest that he has some element of doubt in the event and he's trying to obtain further information "Were you in Slytherin common room after lights out tonight?" is a question.
"If you were in Slytherin common room after lights out tonight" leads you to the point where you can introduce consequences for actions that you don't agree with - which is what Snape is saying.
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
Because "that were you" means "if you were" or "if you had been" in American.
"Are we" is just a matter of traditional usage; I don't think there is any technical reason.
"Are we" is just a matter of traditional usage; I don't think there is any technical reason.
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@ChipmunkErnie thanks! But do you mean it’s British English and we don’t use “that were you” in American English?
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
@Arukas3 Both use it, but I think it's more an an older usage that you don't see as often these days. But I'm American, though I do read and watch a lot of British material, so a Brit might have a different POV.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
"That were you" is a conditional statement that has simply removed the word if. "That you were" is a declarative statement there is no condition applicable.
Thevy29 · 41-45, M
Your just fascinated by Snape. He was a very interesting character to be sure.
ServantOfTheGoddess · 61-69, M
The only bad English is your post is "grammars." It's just "grammar".
"Were you in Slytherin..." is the same as "if you were in Slytherin".
"Are we?" is a sarcastic patronizing way of saying "are you?"
"Were you in Slytherin..." is the same as "if you were in Slytherin".
"Are we?" is a sarcastic patronizing way of saying "are you?"
SW-User
The language has beautiful word play in it everywhere, yet is butchered horribly by countless without a second thought..
Arukas3 · 22-25, F
@SW-User yea I know it’s not to be bound by grammar but i was just curious as an English learner…
TxOutlawTyler · M
It’s British English
RocktheHouse · M