Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with verb

'Moving forward' in Latin

syzygy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:09:52 -0800

LatinFilter: What is the gerund form of 'promovere'? If 'promovere' is the Latin word for 'move forward,' what is the Latin word for 'moving forward'?

[There is rockets.] vs [There are rockets.]

Quarter Pincher — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:34:52 -0800

GrammarFilter: True/False -- The following sentence can be grammatically correct. There's rockets. A friendly argument ensued after repeatedly remarking, "There's rockets," whilst playing Halo 3, referring to the rocket launcher containing rockets lying on the ground for someone to retrieve if desired. The context of the statement referred to an implied singular container of multiple rockets, as opposed to multiple bundles or specifically multiple rockets.

I, the English degree holder, am being kindheartedly informed second hand, through a bluff-caller whose father is a former English teacher, that a sentence may not possess verb disagreement for an implied singular object and may agree only with the actual available object by which to modify. It is my assertion that the verb modifies to that which specifically the speaker is referring, not according to which the hearer presumes the verb to modify.

The imperitive statement, "Go to the store," contains an implied, "(You shall) go to the store."

Likewise, "There is rockets," contains an implied, "There is (a rocket launcher containing) rockets."

As a side note, I also suggested that There refers specifically (as I, the speaker, intended it to be) to a singular location containing said rockets. It might be restated to report that, "That location contains rockets," whereas the verb still does not agree with rockets, as rockets is not the intended object.

Shew?

ITheCosmos — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:19:39 -0800

In Anscombe's translation of Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations, why does he use "shew" instead of "show"? I understand that "shew" is an archaic version of "show", but this book was published in 1968. What's the desired effect? Sure is annoying.

Verb tense in fiction

larry_darrell — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 19:04:20 -0800

Verb tense in fiction I'm taking an intro. level creative writing course and I'm confused about when to use what verb tense. A man walks in a room and sits down with a woman at a table and starts talking. Are the tags says or said? Are his observations and actions past or present? Perhaps it depends on point of view? I might be thinking too much, appreciate any help.