If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

A Simple Question

Damo123 · 2010-03-27 18:20:10

A simple question. Emmm so Im wondering why people say the word "one" when they are talking about people? Like "one would do well to heed my advice" or "if one so desires then I shall".. I just dont get it. I looked on wikipedia and I couldnt find anything... Im hoping maybe somebody here can help me.

Comments

#32 17-04-2010 07:29PM

Donkey Oaty

Closed Accounts Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭

Join Date: March 2010

Posts: 4512

We're talking about the subjunctive here. "If I were unable to travel" is the technically correct form, although a lot of people do use "If I was" in this case and the world still carries on as normal.

Whether it sounds better, well, your ears are as good as anyone else's. But they usually mean different things.

Example 1
If I were rude to you then - e.g. "you would not like it" - but I would never be rude to you.

Example 2
If I was rude to you then - e.g. "I'm sorry" - it is something that may have happened in the past, unlike example 1.

Hope that makes sense.

0