Offlist: [stormingheaven] ebonics? & what happened to the BAI lin k?

[Charles Brown]

I agree. It is ambiguous, like much good poetry, double entendre. I think he is escaping. He is a peasant , villain running out of the house, caught by the lord with a daughter.

CB


>>> "William S. Lear" <rael at zopyra.com> 08/19/99 02:04PM >>>
On Thursday, August 19, 1999 at 13:00:33 (-0400) Carl Remick writes:
>>I thought it was subjunctive mood.
>
>Actually, I think it's in the imperative - Jack, be nimble (etc.)

You're obviously a reactionary imperative monger.

Jack be nimble. -> Jack, be he nimble. -> Jack, were he nimble.

Thus:

Jack, were he nimble.
Jack, were he quick,
Jack, were he all of these, he would jump over the candle-stick.

Or was it all a simple description of material reality:

Jack is nimble.
Jack is quick.
Jack jumps over the candle-stick.

And why is he jumping over a candle-stick, anyway?

Bill