This past weekend at CAMWS 2010, I learned a new acrostic acronym from Tom Garvey for the four independent uses of the subjunctive. Since we’re covering that in my Latin 102 class, I’m going to give it a shot. I don’t remember exactly how it went, so my apologies if it’s slightly different from him.
I – Jussive* (commands)
P – Possibility
O – Optative (wishes)
D – Deliberative (questions)
* This works because the Latin J was spelled with an I. Also note that this covers the Jussive and the Hortatory. Essentially, these are “polite commands”.