I have never heard “would” used that way before but have been assured by Dr. Professor at school it’s correct. Is it?
From m-w.com:
Main Entry: would
Pronunciation: w&d, &d, d, 'wud
Function: past of WILL
Etymology: Middle English wolde, from Old English; akin to Old High German wolta wished, desired
Date: before 12th century
1 a archaic : WISHED, DESIRED b archaic : wish for : WANT c (1) : strongly desire : WISH <I would I were young again> – **often used without a subject and with that in a past or conditional construction <would that I had heeded your advice> **(2) – used in auxiliary function with rather or sooner to express preference <he would sooner die than face them>
This construction would appear to be elliptical, omitting an implicit “I” subject. The fully worded clause would then be “(I) would [i.e., “wish”] that more students were high maintenance.”
Thanks Earl Snake-Hips Tucker. I feel like such an idiot that I’ll just send hugs.
It sounds strange to your ears because it uses the subjunctive mood, a form less and less used nowadays except in a few stock phrases.
shudders at the mention of “subjunctive” That tense made my language classes a living hell 
[/hijack]
You know, this thread is just another reason why the SD is the best website EVER. You guys are the bomb.
I’ve actually used this usage in common conversation. Man, I’m such a geek.
Q.E.D., I was about to post the same thing. Language geeks unite!
Would that I had the time!
Would that I did not also feel your pain, Q.E.D..
Would we had world enough, and time
This coyness, lady, would be no crime
WS
HAD we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, Lady, were no crime
We would sit down and think which way
To walk and pass our long love’s day.
Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side
Shouldst rubies find: I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires, and more slow
Andrew Marvell, you mean…
plenty of woulds and shoulds in that poem.
Holy! Thanks, that was gorgeous. I’m not very literary (to put it mildly). I flunked grade 12 English TWICE!.
If I were to use proper grammar in conjugating verbs in sentences like this one in regular speech, many people would look at me funny.
Yes. It’s not SO archaic. At least I’ve heard it a few times in England in both ‘Would that I could!’ and ‘Would that I were!’ varieties, although admittedly not much otherwise.
Next week: ‘Should you like a biscuit?’
-James
joins the club
I vaguely recall using the “would that” construction and the word “eschew” in the same sentence once. People sometimes look at me funny when I talk…
I’ve been guilty of “by dint of” and “which” used as an adjective, as in,
“The leaning tower of Pisa is located in Italy, which country I visited in 1990.”
Would that I shouldst eshew a biscuit,
You mayest renounce me, if you risk it
Like that?