Some languages distinguish between the optative mood and an imprecative mood (abbreviated IMPREC). In these languages, the imprecative mood is used to wish misfortune upon others, whereas the optative mood is used for wishes in general. In such a language, "May he lose the race" is in imprecative mood, whereas "May I win the race" would be in optative mood. An example of such a language is Turkish.
Famous quotes containing the word mood:
“I never have been, am not now, and probably never shall be, in a mood of harassing the people, either North or South.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)