What is Python?

[Martijn Faassen]

Darren New <dnew at san.rr.com> wrote:
> Grant Edwards wrote:
>> >Can you give an example of that?
>> I run.
>> "run" is the plural present-tense form of the verb: "They run."

> Uh, not really. "You run" (using you singular).  It's just that 3rd-person
> singular is conjugated differently, not the first-person singular. 

Right. English uses the same form always in regular verbs, except for
3rd person.

I run
you run
he runs
we run
you run
they run

Remarkably simple! And run isn't even completely regular ('ran').

Let's take a completely regular verb, to program:

I program
you program
he programs
we program
you program
they program

I programmed
you programmed
he programmed
we programmed
you programmed
they programmed

I have programmed
I am programming

I *like* English grammar.

>> But, in past-perfect you do use the plural "have" instead of the singular
>> "has" when the subject is "I":
>> 
>> I have run.  He has run.

> Huh. That *is* interesting. Yes.  I think you're right. :-)

I don't think he is. It's just that 3rd person is special again,
except that 'to have' is an irregular verb:

I have
you have
he has (instead of 'he haves')

Doesn't depend on the past-perfect.

Concluding, English grammar is pretty simple, and pretty consistent
compared to most languages, really. I think one of the few really
messed up verbs in English is 'to be' (as you'd except with this
extremely common verb):

I am
you are
he is
we are
you are
they are

I was
you were
he was
we were
you were
they were

I have been
I am being

But even this one isn't too horrible.

Regards,

Martijn
-- 
History of the 20th Century: WW1, WW2, WW3?
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