Does anyone else miss the subjunctive mood...

[chibi]

or is it just me?

What annoys me is mixing up of "might" and "may", which I find absolutely tooth-grindingly annoying when I'm reading aloud.

I told him that he might not have another biscuit. I am telling you that you may not have another biscuit.

Here in Ireland "may" is also used for "must", as in: You may clean up that mess this instant. I quite like that usage though.

Is pedants' corner the right place for my dull observations? I am new here, but I may never leave.

Welliemum, the conditional is the one used in the main clause of a conditional sentence in English (If I were to use the conditional, I would write like this). Subjunctive in subclause, conditional in main clause.
Latin, on the other hand, uses either the indicative in both clauses or the subjunctive in both clauses, depending on whether the condition is seen as capable of being filled or not.

Ahem, Yes amicissima, of course that's exactly what I was doing [cough]

Grazie tanto, Cali . Very nice!

Ohhhh, I used to think I was a pedant. But here is Cory who knows all sorts of stuff I don't about English AND Latin, and VintageGardenia who cares about a distinction I can barely make... oh dear oh dear, I am significantly outclassed here!

lol at you lot

You can't speak/write Spanish till you can hack it in the subjunctive. And Spanish uses it in a lot more instances than English does.

(as a bit of an aside - can someone please explain why you are saying "If I were you" is correct??)

The subjunctive is the mood for describing the things which do not exist as such--but don't not exist either. It is great for describing possibilities and hypothetical situations.

In your example, I can't say 'if I was you' because I am not you, nor could I ever be. To use the indicative mood (if I was...') would suggest that such body swapping is a definite reality.

The sunjunctive is the grammatical equivalent if a Magic Eightball saying, 'outcome uncertain, ask again later'.

I don't know if that explains it but maaaaan it sounded deep.

do they have Magic Eightball in the UK?

Thanks chibi - and yes on the Magic Eightball, though it's not very well known.