more begging of the question.

[Douglas G. Wilson]

> > >"...the question is begged to be answered."
> > >
> > >I'm not sure I even understand how he thinks this sentence makes
> sense. But
> > >perhaps now when someone 'begs the question' it's because the answer is in
> > >control of whether or not it can be answered.
> > >
> > >"Please be answered!" we might plead of especially difficult questions.

But compare: "Preparations were ordered to be made." I don't know whether
this is generally approved grammatically, but it is not rare, and I
wouldn't blink at it, in speech or text.

I don't think anybody imagines somebody saying, "Hey, you preparations! I
order you to be made!"

Grammatically, aren't these parallel?

"Somebody ordered that preparations be made." > "Preparations were ordered
to be made." [seems OK ... I think]

"Somebody begs that the question be answered." > "The question is begged to
be answered." [seems a little odd ... but not so odd that nothing like it
was ever uttered]

What say the grammarians?

-- Doug Wilson



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