On 2013-Apr-07 11:34 AM, VLM TechSubs wrote:
I hope this isn’t considered too “off topic”.
Perhaps things have changed as our American English language devolves
all around us, but … might we not better say “if I WERE looking” rather
than “if I WAS looking”? That is, is this not an untrue condition or
wish, therefore correctly expressed in the subjunctive mood?
Serious question … If I’m “behind the curve” here, I’d like to know!
You're correct, formal English calls for the subjunctive. However,
informal English no longer does (much), so it becomes a question, as
John S. said, of who your audience is and what style they expect and are
comfortable with.
So far in my life, I've found there is more risk of misunderstanding
from improper or lax language use than from proper or careful use.
Hence, I still use the subjunctive in speech and writing.
Here's a fairly good discussion of subjunctive vs. indicative, for them
who are interested ;-)
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/grammar_subjunctive.html
--
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 3
Toronto, ON, Canada M1W 3K5
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325
http://www.phoenix-geophysics.com
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