Is it oral? Or is it just used in the conversations of a book?

"Strive and accomplish! If you are true to me, so will I be to you."

"Strive and accomplish!

But when I looked at you I knew that I was wrong
And that I really could belong to only one.
I'll be true to you, yes I will,
Every dream that you have, I'll fulfill,
I never promised this to anyone before,
But, I'll be true to you, yes I will.
I'll be true to you, yes I will,
Every dream that you have, I'll fulfill,
I never promised this to anyone before,
But, I'll be true to you, yes I will,
Yes, I will,
Yes, I will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyp2s8JtEp4

"Strive and accomplish! If you are true to me, so will I be to you."

My grammar book tells me that the structure "so will I be to you" is only used in the dialogues of a book. It [does] is not [be] used in daily conversations.

I wonder whether it is true.

Quote:

"Strive and accomplish! If you are true to me, so will I be to you."

My grammar book tells me that the structure "so will I be to you" is only used in the dialogues of a book. It [does] is not [be] used in daily conversations.

I wonder whether it is true.

It isn't true, Ori. It's just simply uncommon. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen in speech.There are a number of reasons for inversion/fronting, much too much to lay out here.

Do you have access to a large library, maybe a university library. There is an excellent discussion of this in The Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English, Biber et al.

Online interlibrary loaning may work. I'd give it a try.

Quote:

Online interlibrary loaning may work. I'd give it a try.

Here, by using the tentative `d, aka would, you seem to be rebuffing my efforts to steer you towards an excellent resource, Ori. I`m not saying this because my feelings are hurt. I`m doing it to help you understand the uses of modal verbs.

If your intention is to check that source, then will is what you want here.

I`ll give it a try.

It starts around page 911.

Of course I've referred to "I will give it a try." The misuse points to the fact - how I've poorly understood the proper usages of "would." (In this case, I originally thought by using "would" I showed more respect and modesty to the reciever. What a misunderstanding!

The nuance matters.

Quote:

Of course I've referred to "I will give it a try." The misuse points to the fact - how I've poorly understood the proper usages of "would." (In this case, I originally thought by using "would" I showed more respect and modesty to the reciever. What a misunderstanding!

The nuance matters.

Yes, it most surely does, Ori. The only way to get to a natural understanding of modal use is by using them in real situations.

I believe you understand but I'll review just to be sure.

In this case, because you seemed to be willing to accept my suggestion, in order to state that you use the modal choice that shows greater level of certainty. That, as you well know is 'will'.

As soon as you use 'would' you are talking in the realm of potentials. 'would' would certainly be appropriate if you wanted to explain any number of reasons why it was unlikely to impossible for you to access the book.

Some examples:

I'd love to read that book, but I'm afraid I can't get to a library that would have it.

I would like to read that material, if I could get to a library that would have it.

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If you have any other questions, other scenarios that you want to inquire about, please feel free to ask.

Back to the original question; the phrase really sounds like something someone might have as a tattoo.