Date:  Thu, 27 Nov 1997 23:28:32 -0500
From:  Gregory {Greg} Downing <downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IS2.NYU.EDU>
Subject: Re: had/would rather

At 09:33 PM 11/27/97 -0600, you wrote:
>A couple of weeks ago Greg Downing posted a query about had/would rather.

Twasn't me, was it? I believe it was Barry Popik, if memory serves,
discoursing on Clay's supposed "I had/would rather be right than be
president." (This from a guy who ran and lost three times.) His question
wasn't about which was grammatical if I recall, but about which of the two
variants Clay really said (if either?). "Would rather" is the common version
of the Clay quote these days, perhaps (???) because "had rather" is rather
obsolescent now. But maybe Barry has something further to report on this.
Enquiring minds want to know. I do have the Gilman etc. with my dictionaries
and the like.

Best,

Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nyu.edu or downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]is2.nyu.edu