'It's quite common to hear a programmer say' : subjunctive?

[Tamara]

Hi

It is quite common to hear a programmer say, “…”

(Text written by an American, if for some reasons it’s important to be mentioned.)

To me, it should be 'says'.
Just a typo?
Or is this a case of the Subjunctive form?

Please, destroy my doubts :)
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Alan]

Hi Tamara,

In your sentence I would say that say is the infinitive after hear. It's similar to this:

I saw you walk in the park.

I heard the birds sing in the trees.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Yankee]

Good morning II, Tamara :D

I'd say "say" is simply a bare infinitive.

"It is quite common to hear a programmer say..." = "It is quite common to hear him say,..."

You cannot say "him says" 8)

- hear him say something
- see him do something
- hear himself think

You can also use an -ing form sometimes in this sort of construction.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tamara]

Good morning Amy, good morning, Amy :)
Good morning Alan :)

Ah!
A bare infinitive...

Sorry for my stupid question… :oops:
:)
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

.
There are no stupid questions, Tamara. :D
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Torsten]

It's also interesting to take a look at the differences between the infinitive and the gerund in these constructions:

I heard him speak.
I saw him walking down the street.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A van in an African street

[Tamara]

Yes, Amy, and 'there are no bad pupils, ...', of course :) :lol:

But there is (also :)) the old saying:
"Just one fool can ask so many stupid questions that a thousand of wise men won’t be able to answer".
(Sorry for my poor translation.)
:)
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Conchita]

[Yankee]

[FangFang]

[Yankee]

Hi FangFang

That one's a bit idiomatic. ;)

He told me that the neighbor's party had been so loud he couldn't hear himself think.

can't hear oneself think

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tom]

[Yankee]