Mary would rather I come / came to her house tomorrow.

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Mary would rather I come to her house tomorrow.
Mary would rather I came to her house tomorrow.

Do both sentences have the same meaning?

Thanks.

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Type: Question • Score: 7 • Views: 2,764 • Replies: 40

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@tanguatlay,

Yes Tang they're both colloquial

1 Reply

@dalehileman,

dalehileman wrote:

Yes Tang they're both colloquial

Thanks, Dalehileman.

My question is whether both sentences have the same meaning. And which one is used by native speakers?

2 Replies

@tanguatlay,

Quote:

My question is whether both sentences have the same meaning.

Yes

Quote:

And which one is used by native speakers?

Both

0 Replies

The first is dialect; the second is standard. Both have the same meaning.

0 Replies

Not dialect at all. Either one is fine.

1 Reply

@MontereyJack,

I am surprised that Contrex's answer differs from MJ's and Dalehileman's.

2 Replies

@tanguatlay,

And here's another answer, different from both: the first is subjunctive, and is correct. The second is also okay, quite permissible in normal speech, but not so posh.

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@McTag,

Mary would rather I come to her house tomorrow.
Mary would rather I came to her house tomorrow.

Contrex: The first is dialect; the second is standard. Both have the same meaning.

McTag: And here's another answer, different from both: the first is subjunctive, and is correct. The second is also okay, quite permissible in normal speech, but not so posh.

Could you two please sort out the discrepancies here?

0 Replies

@tanguatlay,

tanguatlay wrote:

And which one is used by native speakers?

it depends on where the 'native speakers' are. In the part of Canada I grew up in, you wouldn't have heard either version.

1 Reply

@tanguatlay,

tanguatlay wrote:

I am surprised that Contrex's answer differs from MJ's and Dalehileman's.

People in different parts of the world use/speak English in different ways. I think that all of the respondents to your thread come from different English-speaking regions.

We can't even agree on which dictionaries are acceptable as references.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Quote:

People in different parts of the world use/speak English in different ways. I think that all of the respondents to your thread come from different English-speaking regions.

Contrex and McTag don't, Beth.

Quote:

We can't even agree on which dictionaries are acceptable as references.

"we" don't have to. Acceptable for accurately describing language is no different than acceptable for describing any science. The we's you're thinking of are most often people that are woefully ignorant of how language works.

The Longman Grammar of Written and Spoken English described how native speakers are notoriously ignorant of how their language works, what's common to which register and what's not.

This largely comes about simply because language is an exceedingly complex science. But it has also come to be because of the plethora of ignorance perpetuating ignorance. [Remember the Latin plural nonsense?]

2 Replies

@JTT,

I can't say I like the way you say I'm ignorant.

ciao kid

1 Reply

@JTT,

Contrex and McTag live in the same area of England? I obviously wouldn't have guessed that.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Quote:

I can't say I like the way you say I'm ignorant.

OmSig has frequently chided CI for his ignorance regarding the meaning of the word 'ignorant'. His, that's Om's definition, that limits the meaning to one who is naive about a certain topic/issue with no pejorative included certainly doesn't seem to be the accepted one by at least two A2Kers.

And yes, Dave is right in that 'ignorant' does hold a meaning of "not being knowledgeable in a certain area/in certain areas.

Ain't that us all!

Could that not also be you, Beth, as regards certain aspects of the English language?

------------------------
EDIT:

I have no problem admitting that language use often stumps me. I am, without a doubt, woefully ignorant of much of the workings of language.

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Quote:

Contrex and McTag live in the same area of England? I obviously wouldn't have guessed that.

I may be wrong but I think that they both endeavor to do the same posh English.

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Quote:

it depends on where the 'native speakers' are. In the part of Canada I grew up in, you wouldn't have heard either version.

Though I may be mistaken, Beth, I think that Ms Tan is more focused on the overall two structures rather than the two specific examples.

Whatever part of Canada you grew up in, you, the general 'you', did hear both structural versions, albeit, not as commonly other structures.

1 Reply

@JTT,

JTT wrote:

Though I may be mistaken, Beth, I think that Ms Tan is more focused on the overall two structures rather than the two specific examples.

JTT, you're right that I would like to know whether it is "would rather... come" or "would rather ... came"

0 Replies

EITHER ONE. THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PREFERRED VERSION IN EVERY CASE OF USAGE.

1 Reply

@MontereyJack,

Quote:

THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PREFERRED VERSION IN EVERY CASE OF USAGE.

I think there's a truism hidden in there, or maybe a couple or even more. Care to explain further what you mean, MJ?

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Mary would rather I come / came to her house tomorrow.

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