|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
what is the term for the style, or voice, that would use 'would' for the past tense? e.g., "The second half of the game would be defined by..."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
Well, I'd call it the conditional mood ( link).
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655 |
In the following case, "would" is used to express the past, but it doesn't seem conditional to me:
"Our parents would take us to see relatives on Sunday."
What am I missing?
"I don't know which is worse: ignorance or apathy. And, frankly, I don't care." - Anonymous
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Seems to me in tsuwm's example he is using it in a past narrative where the narrative has not yet reached a point that is, for us, also in the past. A conditional mood would be something like "I would help you if I knew what you were looking for."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
yes, there's no actual 'condition' involved in my example; i.e., no if statement.
here's an entire example (please forgive/ignore the sport context - it happens to be where I see a lot of this):
“The second half of the game would be defined by offensive runs from both teams and tough, physical play. In the third quarter, the Lakers, making their push to try and win this game early, would eventually extend their lead to 15, but Phoenix would show their determination to not go quietly and went on their own run. The Suns took advantage of some sloppy Lakers play and raced the floor for easy baskets. By the time the third quarter was over, Phoenix would cut the Lakers lead to four and I think all Lakers fans were prepared for another close game that could come down to the final possession. And while this game wouldn’t be that close. . . “
this all happened in the past, of course. : )
it all seems a bit.. contrived to me, esp. for a sports blog. (and another thing - it's not consistently used.)
Last edited by tsuwm; 03/13/10 11:53 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655 |
Another seldom-used construction with "would" is very much conditional, but the mood is indicated more by the subjunctive (I think) of the main verb:
"I would that she were here now."
There's an implied "if" in this case, since it's clear she is not here now. The "would" injects wishfulness, but it's hard for me to see where it contributes to the conditional mood of the sentence, which is established by "were."
"I don't know which is worse: ignorance or apathy. And, frankly, I don't care." - Anonymous
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 132
member
|
|
member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 132 |
Nothing... "would" has more than one use.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Beck's latest reminds me that the origin of would is as the past tense of will; will not as a periphrastic future marker but will meaning 'desire'. This, however, would reinforce my claim that would in the original question was indicating that it was being used in a historical future sense.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724 |
Is would used as a replacement for used to? If so, used to is firmly in the past. (Not in the original question. That appears to be a - present continuous tense in the past!)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 655 |
It seems more like a future tense, expressed as past events:
"After having lost their first two matches, they would go on to win in the finals."
"I don't know which is worse: ignorance or apathy. And, frankly, I don't care." - Anonymous
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,318
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
775
guests, and
1
robot. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
