# How would you phrase this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225 "2016-01-05T17:15:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/1 "2016-01-05T17:15:09Z")
I often see the phrase " Dance like no one is watching" What about the look you see on someones face and the tone in thie voice when they are loving up a pet. It is one of the most sincere things I can think of. How might you phrase something like this? ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/2 "2016-01-05T18:38:44Z")
I don’t know if this is the right answer, but I’ve always been fond of: “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/3 "2016-01-05T19:05:08Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > I don’t know if this is the right answer, but I’ve always been fond of: > > “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” I think that is very close, maybe, “Be the person you are to your dog” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/4 "2016-01-05T19:20:32Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > I don’t know if this is the right answer, but I’ve always been fond of: > > “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” > [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I think that is very close, maybe, “Be the person you are to your dog” The first version is better. My dog thinks I’m a much better person that I actually am, even to my dog. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/5 "2016-01-05T19:30:24Z")
Be worthy of your dog’s love. Earn your dog’s love. (That’s what John Miller from _Saving Private Ryan_ would say.) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/6 "2016-01-05T22:06:35Z")
I would avoid attaching the phrase “…like no one is watching.” Certain fetish sites may contact you. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/7 "2016-01-06T00:39:44Z")
Sing like no one is listening…except your dog. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/8 "2016-01-06T23:20:08Z")
Dance as if no one **were** watching. For uncertainty, you need the subjunctive mood. As for “like” versus “as if,” it just feels better to my ear. I don’t remember any specific rule for that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-phrase-this/742225/9 "2016-01-07T00:07:38Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Dance as if no one **were** watching. For uncertainty, you need the subjunctive mood. As for “like” versus “as if,” it just feels better to my ear. I don’t remember any specific rule for that. But you want certainty, don’t you? Dance as if no one was watching, not is if no one is likely to be watching. N.B.: I’m much better at subjunctive in Spanish than in English. We never were actually taught it in school.