Re: Methods of Question-Forming

Estel Telcontar scripsit:

> It struck me recently, when someone told me I better do
> something, and I responded "Why better I?".  Then I realized
> that "better" was trying to be in a modal position, like
> "Why should I" (Whereas if it were an adverb, you'd have
> "Why had I better".)
"Dare" has this hybrid property too:  "I dare do as much as becomes a
man; who dares do more is none" vs. "Dare to try".

--
John Cowan           http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
To say that Bilbo's breath was taken away is no description at all.  There
are no words left to express his staggerment, since Men changed the language
that they learned of elves in the days when all the world was wonderful.
        --_The Hobbit_