[Corpora-List] if + would

[Ramesh Krishnamurthy]

Dear Cécile
Tolkien is evidently attempting to create a distinct style for his 
character Faramir.
But surely this by itself does not necessarily mean the construction 
is/was "used in British English".
All it means it was "used by Tolkien".
Anthony Burgess invented the word 'rhotacismus' in a novel (Earthly 
Powers, I think) and proudly reported its inclusion in the OED in his 
subsequent newspaper review of OED. This does not mean that 
'rhotacismus' is/was "used in British English".
Many creative writers may invent/adopt styles and usages that are not 
necessarily the norm in their real-life speech communities.
Best
Ramesh

Cécile Yousfi wrote:

> Good evening everyone,
>
> Apparently, IF + WOULD is also used in British English. I've just come 
> across the following sentence in Tolkien's _The Lord of the Rings_ 
> (Book 6 Chapter 5: /The Steward and the King/). Here, one of the 
> characters (Faramir) is talking to another one (Eowyn, the lady he's 
> in love with) : "And here you will find me, walking and waiting, and 
> also looking east. It would ease my care, if you would speak to me, or 
> walk at whiles with me."
>
> Obviously here WOULD is both volitional and hypothetical, the 
> proposition meaning  "if you ever agreed to speak with me". I don't 
> know if IF + WOULD can be accepted in formal academic writing, but 
> Tolkien put it in the mouth of one of his heroes, a prince-like 
> character. I hope this example can help you in your research, Parveen.
>
> Cécile Yousfi, Docteur en Linguistique Anglaise
> Paris IV-Sorbonne