Day 136 - The subjunctive circle of neurogenesis

The subjunctive mood in Spanish is super common. This verb form also exists in English, but I feel that it is utilized much more rarely in the United States than in Mexico. For example, if you say "I may be able to come over early tomorrow" here, you use subjunctive of the verb "to come" - "Talvez pueda venir mas temprano manana".

We discussed this phenomenon at my Spanish class today.

My Spanish teacher has an interesting opinion on the subject (a big surprise - he has an interesting opinion on any subject). "El pueblo hace el idioma" ("People make the language"), he says, "life in the United States is much more certain, people don't have the need to utilize the subjunctive that often. In Mexico, the cable guy's schedule is expressed not in hours (someting we constantly bitch about in the US), but in days or even weeks. You cannot ever predict what's going to happen in the next five minutes. The life here calls for the use of the subjunctive mood at all times."

It does make sense, but if learning a new language can alter your brain, following the old language patterns must somehow affect people's mentality, too. Speaking in the subjunctive all the time could very well be the reason of the uncertain Mexican life. It's a vicious circle, really.