> >
> > Wolf "Not as concerned with this as with realizing that 'If Dave WASN'T a babe' might be the correct form of the contracted negation. Gah! Now if Dave DOESN'T turn into a mermaid or something to justify all the debate over possible gender, I'll be SORELY UPSET" spirit
> >
>
> No, I think "were" is correct. "If Dave WASN'T a babe" implies that "we all know Dave *is* a babe, but if he *wasn't* such a babe, then..."
>
> koala"never thought she'd be discussing the babeness of Dave"mom
>

I agree and disagree with you. The non-contracted form of the negation ought to be "If Dave were not a babe...." But if it's a *contraction*, it seems to be slightly better syntax to state, "If Dave wasn't a babe...," rather than "If Dave weren't a babe...." See what I mean? Let's work it through. To paraphrase Sam, "'If Dave was not a babe...' implies that you are talking about a past point in time and you are/were not sure if Dave actually WAS a babe or not. 'If Dave were not a babe...' is a speculation about how something would be if Dave WERE, or WEREN'T, a babe at the present time." Ptharghh. That sounds terrible.

Wolf "I think it I might be easier to substitute 'MOUSIE' for 'DAVE' in order to further this entirely sprained line of reasoning" spirit