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Subjunctive in both phrases....

 

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  #1  
Old October 30, 2010, 10:29 AM
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Question Subjunctive in both phrases....

The English sentence: I would not like other people to hear me.

My translation: No quisiera que otra gente me escucha.

The book's answer: No quisiera que otra gente me oyera.

Now, we don't need to rehash the "escuchar" vs. "oír" discussion (I assume that the book's answer would be equivalent to "No quisiera que otra gente me escuche.")

My question is about the use of the subjunctive in BOTH phrases in this sentence. I get the first ("quisiera"), but not the second (oyera/escuche).

Thanks for any explanation you can offer.
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  #2  
Old October 30, 2010, 10:41 AM
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No quiero que otra gente me oiga
No quisiera que otra gente me oyera.

the whole sentence is turned into past.

No quisiera que la gente me oiga.

is acceptable (see "Nueva Gramática ...") but it forces to make sense why it has two time settings

About the verb:

No quisiera que la gente oyera esta voz chillona que tengo.
No quisiera que la gente me oyera hablarle a esa persona.
No quisiera que la gente me escuchara cuando le digo que lo nuestro ha terminado.
No quisiera que la gente me escuchara hablando mál de él.
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Old October 30, 2010, 10:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
My question is about the use of the subjunctive in BOTH phrases in this sentence. I get the first ("quisiera"), but not the second (oyera/escuche). .
That's odd, because I understand the second subjunctive more than the first one, where I would expect a conditional.
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  #4  
Old October 30, 2010, 10:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
The English sentence: I would not like other people to hear me.

My translation: No quisiera que otra gente me escuchara.

The book's answer: No quisiera que otra gente me oyera.

Now, we don't need to rehash the "escuchar" vs. "oír" discussion (I assume that the book's answer would be equivalent to "No quisiera que otra gente me escuche.")

My question is about the use of the subjunctive in BOTH phrases in this sentence. I get the first ("quisiera"), but not the second (oyera/escuche).

Thanks for any explanation you can offer.
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  #5  
Old October 30, 2010, 10:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
My question is about the use of the subjunctive in BOTH phrases in this sentence. I get the first ("quisiera"), but not the second (oyera/escuche).
In "No quiero que XYZ" the XYZ is hypothetical. If it had happened, or were certain to happen, the sentence would be pretty pointless.
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  #6  
Old October 30, 2010, 10:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aleCcowaN View Post
No quiero que otra gente me oiga
No quisiera que otra gente me oyera.

the whole sentence is turned into past.

No quisiera que la gente me oiga.

is acceptable (see "Nueva Gramática ...") but it forces to make sense why it has two time settings

About the verb:

No quisiera que la gente oyera esta voz chillona que tengo.
No quisiera que la gente me oyera hablarle a esa persona.
No quisiera que la gente me escuchara cuando le digo que lo nuestro ha terminado.
No quisiera que la gente me escuchara hablando mál de él.
My question is not about the use of present vs. past (I get that part ... if it were indicative, it should have been "me escuchó..."), but about indicative vs. subjunctive. ???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
That's odd, because I understand the second subjunctive more than the first one, where I would expect a conditional.
The section in the book was about using querer, poder, or deber to make polite requests, so it was assumed that the "querer" would be subjunctive.

Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
That was my question. WHY is it "escuchara" (WHY is it subjunctive?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
In "No quiero que XYZ" the XYZ is hypothetical. If it had happened, or were certain to happen, the sentence would be pretty pointless.
I thought that subjunctive would be used only in dependent clauses. How can both clauses in a sentence be dependent....?
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  #7  
Old October 30, 2010, 11:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
That was my question. WHY is it "escuchara" (WHY is it subjunctive?)
It isn't in English?
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  #8  
Old October 30, 2010, 11:03 AM
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So everything that isn't English should be the subjunctive???
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  #9  
Old October 30, 2010, 11:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
So everything that isn't English should be the subjunctive???
What I meant is to ask if in English " I would not like other people to hear me." is it in subjuntive?

Then, why should it be otherwise in Spanish?

I am sorry for being thick/sick. (I have lisp)
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Old October 30, 2010, 11:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by laepelba View Post
My question is not about the use of present vs. past (I get that part ... if it were indicative, it should have been "me escuchó..."), but about indicative vs. subjunctive. ???
I know, that's why I wrote that. Turning into the past is a formality that has to do with grammar because the meaning of both sentences stays "now and into the future":

No quiero que la gente me oiga (now and into the future)
No quisiera que la gente me oyera (now and into the future / turned both verbs into past)
No quería que la gente me oyera (past event)
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