| subjunctive |
| Definition -
(1) The form a verb takes when it is used to show hope, doubt, and wishes, e.g. God save the Queen. (2) A construction that is used to express counterfactuals, facts or events that are known to be false, but which are entertained as hypotheticals, e.g. If dogs could fly, they would …. |
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Etymology - The term derives from the Late Latin subjunctivus, serving to join (from sub, under + jungere, to join). Note: The Latin term modus subjunctivus was probably a loan translation of the Greek hypotaktike enklisis, subordinated, which was so called because the Greek subjunctive mood was regarded as especially appropriate to subordinate clauses. |
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Oxford English Dictionary - Its first citation is from 1530: "The subjunctive mode whiche they ever use folowyng an other verbe, and addyng this worde que before hym." (Jehan Palsgrave, Lesclarcissement de la langue françoyse, 84 ) |
