LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

People have equal ideas, feelings, emotions, and desires, that we express through language. Each language conveys those meanings in different ways that are proper for them, but, often enough native speakers seem to forget the resources their language has and reach out to import strange modes of expression. Such is the case with "en cuanto yo sé", which I have just heard on TV, a direct translation of "as far as I know." I have also heard "por lo que yo sé" as another choice for the English cliché mentioned above, instead of the genuine "que yo sepa", using the subjunctive: "David, que yo sepa, ya no está en Madrid." English uses the subjunctive sparingly and thus it is forced to employ other ways to convey ideas of doubt and uncertainty. Will "en cuanto yo sé" debunk "que yo sepa"? Eventually, I am sure, mainly because the average native speaker´s knowledge of their language is scant and they have a dearth of interes...

El hispanohablante (que no parlante , repito) utiliza el subjuntivo bastante bien y sin darse cuenta de que habla subjuntivo. Se para en seco cuando quiere decir en inglés ¿Qué quieres que haga ? (La palabra en negrita va en subjuntivo) se pone colorado y espeta: What do you want that I do? o What do you want I do? Lo correcto es emplear el infinitivo: What do you want me to do ?   Después de verbos de deseo, orden, sugerencias, expectativas, emplearemos el subjuntivo en castellano y el infinitivo en inglés: Quiero que vayas ahora, I want you to go now. Espero que vengan a las siete, I expect them to come at seven. ¿Qué quieres que te diga ? , What do you want me to tell you?  Te ordeno que me des un besito, I order you to give me a little kiss. ¿Qué esperabas que hiciese ? , What did you expect him to do ?