Si yo fuera alguien que te gustara

[hola]

Is this well written? what does it say? there must be errors.....


si yo fuera alguien que te gustara, yo te habría llevado.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by hola

si yo fuera alguien que te gustara, yo te habría llevado.

If I was someone you liked, I would have taken you with me already.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by chileno

If I was someone you liked, I would have taken you with me already.

If I were...?

Sí, hola, está bien escrito (me sobra un poco el segundo yo, pero bueno, está bien).

[Here4good]

Originally Posted by irmamar

If I were...?

Sí, hola, está bien escrito (me sobra un poco el segundo yo, pero bueno, está bien).

Strictly speaking If I were is the more grammatically correct. In real life both (if I were/ if I was) are accepted and many text books now recognise both as being OK.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Here4good

Strictly speaking If I were is the more grammatically correct. In real life both (if I were/ if I was) are accepted and many text books now recognise both as being OK.

Well, I think that is terrible, that a text book could claim if I was is correct. In my mind it is definitely wrong. Why on earth would anyone want to lose the subjunctive, there is precious little of it left in English as it is.

[Here4good]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Well, I think that is terrible, that a text book could claim if I was is correct. In my mind it is definitely wrong. Why on earth would anyone want to lose the subjunctive, there is precious little of it left in English as it is.

Hi!
Sorry to have given you bad news!
Here's a quote from Practical English Usage by Michael Swan which is used by most British English teachers. It's not a text book, but a reference book last updated in 2005.
We often use was instead of were after if. This is common in both formal and informal styles. In a formal style, were is more common than was, and many people consider it more correct, especially in American English.
I think many people would consider it perhaps more correct to use If +I+were, but language is very dynamic, especially English, and its use and form changes constantly. Remember there's no Academia Real controlling the English language!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Here4good

Hi!
Remember there's no Academia Real controlling the English language!

Yes, I'm well aware of that. The trend in English is simplify it to the lowest common denominator, which includes the loss of the subjunctive. The reason is I suppose that people would have to think about it, and this doesn't seem fashionable.

[Here4good]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Yes, I'm well aware of that. The trend in English is simplify it to the lowest common denominator, which includes the loss of the subjunctive. The reason is I suppose that people would have to think about it, and this doesn't seem fashionable.

Yes, I know what you mean. People are simplifying language in some areas and perhaps we are losing some richness in "old" English, but young people are certainly creative in their use of language! I don't know if you are from the UK, but look at Catherine Tate's take off of a British teenager for example. The English used there is not the English used a few years ago, but I wouldn't dare say it's incorrect usage. If people use it and communicate with it, it's a language that deserves to be recognised IMO. Or think about rappers, is what they speak a language, is it English, a dialect?? They're happy with it and communicate with it.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Here4good

If people use it and communicate with it, it's a language that deserves to be recognised IMO.

Undeniable, but depressing.

[Here4good]

Is it depressing??

I think it's frustrating when you find you really can't understand somebody, especially when supposedly you can speak to each other because you're from the same country. Of course sometimes it's scary too and sometimes people use language to mark differences, generations, social class...

Yes, I suppose that can be depressing, but it could be fun, too!