Shadow

[ROBINDESBOIS]

The sun made my shadow showed.
Is this correct?

[chileno]

...show.

[pjt33]

Chileno's correction gives a sentence which is grammatically correct, but it still feels semantically wrong: it implies that you always have a shadow, but it's sometimes invisible. I haven't been able to find a reformulation which I'm entirely happy with, but the best I've got is:

The sun made me cast a shadow.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

We could see our shadows in the sun.

[pjt33]

Vale.

[chileno]

So, "The sun made my shadow show", is not using the subjunctive?

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Our shadows were projected under the sun ????

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by chileno

So, "The sun made my shadow show", is not using the subjunctive?

No, infinitive.

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

Our shadows were projected under the sun ????

By the sun, perhaps. I think your intended parse puts us under the sun, but I read that as the shadows being under the sun, and they're actually away from it.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by chileno

So, "The sun made my shadow show", is not using the subjunctive?

Originally Posted by pjt33

No, infinitive.

So how would that phrase be written in Subjunctive?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

So how would that phrase be written in Subjunctive?

It wouldn't, and it's not a phrase.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

It wouldn't, and it's not a phrase.

Excellent!

Whatever it isn't, or is, how would you write it in subjunctive?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

Whatever it isn't, or is, how would you write it in subjunctive?

The sun made my shadow show - indicative mood plus infinitive
Did the sun make my shadow show? - interrogative mood plus infinitive
Sun, make my shadow show! - imperative mood plus infinitive
Let the sun make my shadow show - jussive subjunctive mood plus infinitive

That's the best I can do first thing in the morning.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

The sun made my shadow show - indicative mood plus infinitive

Let the sun make my shadow show - jussive subjunctive mood plus infinitive

That's the best I can do first thing in the morning.

The other two are not necessary. Now, from the two left:

You wrote the second (whatever) with the verbs make and show in subjunctive.

Please write the same (whatever) with the same verbs but use the past tense for the verb "make".

Wouldn't that leave?

(I) let the sun made my shadow show

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

You wrote the second (whatever) with the verbs make and show in subjunctive.

No I didn't. The English infinitive is usually (e.g.) 'to show': I wanted to show how pleased I was.

But there is also a shortened infinitive without 'to': I must show you these photos.

The 'shadow' sentence has show as shortened infinitive. See here

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

No I didn't. The English infinitive is usually (e.g.) 'to show': I wanted to show how pleased I was.

But there is also a shortened infinitive without 'to': I must show you these photos.

The 'shadow' sentence has show as shortened infinitive. See here

Excellent again.

But you haven't answered.

The sun made my shadow ...... what form of show would make it subjunctive?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

But you haven't answered.

The sun made my shadow ...... what form of show would make it subjunctive?

Sometimes there is no answer, because a subjunctive would make no sense. If you are forcing me to use a subjunctive of to show, then possibly something like, on a cloudy day,

If my shadow were shown because of the sun, then it would not have been cloudy.

This doesn't really make much sense.

[chileno]

OK, thank you.

At least you were able to play, I guess.

[tk421]

The sun cast my shadow.
The sun is casting a shadow of me on the ground.

[poli]

Chileno, you know that the subjunctive in English is not as well-defined in English as it is in Spanish. Some people annoyingly seem to be unaware of if it.

I suppose if you were to use the subjunctive in this vain, you may say: would that the sun make my shadow show. I am not even sure if that is subjuntive however. Some other foreros may be able to verify this. In any case, it sounds kind of Shakespearian.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

Chileno, you know that the subjunctive in English is not as well-defined in English as it is in Spanish. Some people annoyingly seem to be unaware of if it.

I suppose if you were to use the subjunctive in this vain, you may say: would that the sun make my shadow show. I am not even sure if that is subjuntive however. Some other foreros may be able to verify this. In any case, it sounds kind of Shakespearian.

Thank you. I am aware of how it would sound, very archaic to say the least, just wanted to sort some of the possibilities with people that supposedly know English grammar.

That's all. I like to learn too, but in a different way, I guess.