ORDERS, WARNINGS, ADVICE



When people do things we don't want them to do (that applies to children, husbands or wives, friends καὶ τὰ λοιπά (= and all the rest) we tell them: Don't do that! And when we want people to do things, we tell them: Do this! Do that! We're in the ordering-people-around mode, which is called the

IMPERATIVE mode or mood.

Now then. When a child cries we say: Don't cry! We do not say: Doesn't cry! or Don't cries! Cries not! Not cries! No cry! nor anything else equally awful. So why do we want to say silly sounding things in foreign languages? Just because, like a student once told me: You know what I mean! Of course I knew what he meant, but it sounded hideous all the same.

When learning anything new in a foreign language, be it vocabulary item or usage (grammar) always tell yourself: this sounds RIGHT even if you, personally, don't think so yet. You haven't developed a feel for the language yet. So: The more difficult things seem, the more often you'll have to tell yourself: this is how THEY say it! Till it finally does sound right, to you as well as to them. You'll also have to visualize everything. When saying: "The boss talks a lot of nonsense" you've got to imagine him doing just that and then tell him off: Don't talk such rubbish! Just imagine his face.

Examples in English: (for examples in Greek, click here):

    
Somebody does or doesn't
 		        
  You tell them to do it/ not to do it  
 
(Your neighbours child) kicks your cat. Don't kick my cat (you little soandso)!
(Little Willy) won't eat his soup. Eat your soup (and stop whining)!
(Your little helper) is lazy Don't be so lazy! Start helping instead!