Re: USAGE: I'd rather (was: Re: Journalists)

On 6/27/07, caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...> wrote:
> According to the Columbia Guide to Standard American English" (you pick
> your guide, I'll pick mine :-)), "would rather" and "had rather" are
> equally correct.  Therefore, it seems to me that "would = want" is not
> correct.  That would mean that "had = want" is correct also.  I
> believe "would" in this expression is the auxiliary in the subjunctive
> without a verb, if it ever even had one in this expression.
>
> It is impossible to discern which is meant when the contraction "I'd"
> is used.
If I were saying it out, I would use "I would rather (that) X".

- Sai