truth be told

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	Johnleo  #532678  Thu, 26 Jun 08 05:52 AM "Truth be told, I never graduated from college and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation." Here the meaning of this structure is very clear. (= to tell you the truth)  But I can't get why this structure is used in this way. A sentence adverbial? How does it function in the sentence? Thanks.    Johnleo Joined on Wed, Nov 15 2006 China Junior Member (75)

	Avangi  #532679  Thu, 26 Jun 08 05:56 AM Not only is it an idiom, it's a stilted and old-fashioned idiom.  I love it.  (Maybe subjunctive.)    Avangi Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007 Senior Member (3,289) ". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier
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	CalifJim  #532720  Thu, 26 Jun 08 08:07 AM  Definitely old.  Definitely subjunctive. It's from the days when if clauses took the subjunctive: (If the) truth be told Modern:  If the truth is told CJ     CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member (16,970) "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Clauses, Subjunctives

	Marius Hancu  #532834  Thu, 26 Jun 08 12:42 PM Or:  Should truth be told     Marius Hancu Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006 Montreal, Canada Veteran Member (11,673)

	Johnleo  #532895  Thu, 26 Jun 08 02:06 PM Thank you, guys. Actually, it's from the commencement speech delivered by Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005.  People like him always introducing new fantastic stuff to us tend to use very old expressions eh?!    Johnleo
Expressions

	Avangi  #532986  Thu, 26 Jun 08 04:57 PM One of the advantages of not going to college.  Education stifles creativity.    Avangi

	Johnleo  #532996  Thu, 26 Jun 08 05:24 PM Yep, but most of us have to do that.    Johnleo