Optative sentences are grammatical structures used to express wishes, desires, or hopes. They typically begin with words like "may," "wish," or "let" and often convey a sense of aspiration or hope for a certain outcome. They are common in languages like Ancient Greek and Sanskrit, but are less frequently used in modern English.

To change the narration of an optative sentence started with 'if', you can convert it into a statement or a command depending on the context. For example, "If only I could go!" can be changed to "I wish I could go" or "I want to go."

E. Adelaide Hahn has written:

'Subjunctive and optative'

'Naming-Constructions in Some Indo-European Languages (American Philological Association Philological Monographs)'

That would be κοσμοίμην.