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<DIV>Tibor writes:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>> [n]ow that I am getting replies where 'form follows function', I dare
ask<BR>> another question:<BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>With no disrespect intended, Tibor's query actually
illustrates the variable behavior of _dare_;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>American English doesn't seem to allow _dare_ to take a bare
infinitive in affirmative, declarative clauses; we wouldn't (dare!) say, "I dare
ask". But it does in negative declarative clauses, and in positive(?)
conditional clauses:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> I don't dare ask</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> I dare not ask</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> if I dare ask</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>This is all from memory of thinking about this stuff 30 years
ago. Lord only knows what a corpus search would turn
up!</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>