HSS  +  687926 Tue, 17 Mar 09 11:28 PM "Be Still my Heart" This is the title of a book written by Patricia Hermes. I don't see it grammatically. Is this an imperative? Does this mean "Be still my young self," or "Keep my self, don't change"? Hiro/ Sendai, Japan HSS Joined on Wed, Nov 16 2005 Sendai, Japan Regular Member 679 JH7JHH, First Class ham radio operator. N9COW in the US. Countries, Asia

	RayH  +  687927 Tue, 17 Mar 09 11:35 PM I can't speak for the book, never having read it, but "be still my heart" is a fairly well known idiom. In contemporary English, the expression is usually used sarcastically to imply that a situation is not nearly as exciting as has been suggested. Edit: Sorry about the messed up link. Click on the first part to get to the wiktionary page. RayH Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008 Contributing Member 1,555 Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert. Idioms, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Apologies, Languages

	Avangi  +  687928 Tue, 17 Mar 09 11:55 PM I take it as imperative.  "Get moving, legs!"    -     (while being chased) Re the heart, it's pounding because I'm in the throes of an amorous attraction. While there is the element of sarcasm, when the first person is the speaker there's also an element of sincerity.  The speaker is aware of the inordinateness of the emotion, and she welcomes it. As pure sarcasm, it might be said as an aside, by A to B, in reference to C, perhaps in a mocking way. Avangi Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007 Veteran Member 7,923 ". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier References, Business, Career

	CalifJim  +  687984 Wed, 18 Mar 09 05:35 AM HSS “I don't see it grammatically. Is this an imperative?” Yes.  It's an imperative.  The speaker is talking to himself / herself, saying "I must calm down.  I must control myself.  I am overexcited", but it takes the form of commanding his /her heart to beat more slowly. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,128 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Speaking, Chat, Friendships

	HSS  +  688397 Thu, 19 Mar 09 03:35 AM I now understand the structure of the sentence. Thanks, all. Because there wasn't a comma between "still" and "my heart," I couldn't see "still" was an adjective. I was seeing it as "Be (still) my heart." It is "Be still, (my heart)," right? Hiro/ Sendai, Japan HSS Commas, Punctuation, Adjectives, Sentences, Countries, Asia

	Avangi  +  688418 Thu, 19 Mar 09 04:34 AM Right.  You're giving a command (imperative) to your heart.  If you were speaking to men, you might say, "Be alert, you guys!"  "Be brave, my friends!" Avangi Relationships, Speaking, Chat, Friendships, Friends