as if 用法, 例句, 詳解

as if 用法 1

問：He opened his mouth as if to speak.
as if 是個從屬連接詞, 本應引導副詞子句, 它怎麼會引出動詞不定詞呢?

答：在上面的句子裡, as if 用法仍然是個從屬連接詞, 它引導的是個省略型的子句: as if to speak = as if he wanted to speak。例如:

1. He shook his head as if (he wanted) to say“no”.
   他搖了搖頭, 好像是(想) 要說“不”。
2. She lifted one arm, as if to shield herself, then screamed in terror.
   她抬起一隻手臂, 好像要護住自己, 然後驚恐地尖叫起來。

當句子的主詞與as if 子句的主詞相一致時, as if 還可以引出現在分詞和過去分詞。
在大多數情況下可以理解為省略了主詞和be :

1. He paused as if expecting Lanny to speak.
   他停了一下, 似乎在等待蘭尼說話。
2. Parents were torn from their homes, husbands from their wives, to disappear forever as if swallowed up in death.
   父母從家裡被奪走, 丈夫從妻子身邊被擄去, 猶如被死亡吞沒一樣, 永遠地消失了。

(參見as if 用法3)

as if 用法 2

問：It looks as if it is going to rain.
as if 引導的是什麼子句?

答：一般英語文法書都認為這裡的as if 子句是主詞子句(真實主詞), it 是形式主詞。但我們認為這裡的as if 子句更像是述語子句。詳細的情形, 請見It looks as if, It seems as if。

as if 用法 3 (as if expecting/ to expect)

問：The professor paused as if _______ his students to ask questions on the point he had just made.
A. expecting
B. to expect
C. expected
D. to have expected.
(翟象俊主編《大學英語》精讀第一冊, p. 168), 《教師參考書》給的答案是A (expecting) 。據我所知, as if 是個從屬連接詞, 應當引導子句。在上面的試題中它與現在分詞連用是我無法接受的。

答：as if 之後可以接過去分詞、現在分詞、形容詞以及介係詞片語, 但實質上它們是as if 子句的簡略形式。正像語言學家們所指出的那樣, 當as if 子句的主詞跟主句的主詞相一致, 並且子句又包含be 時, 子句的主詞和be 就常常省略:

1. He stood as if rooted to the ground.
   他站在那裡, 仿佛釘在地上。
2. He bent down as if tightening his shoe laces.
   他彎下身來, 似乎在系緊他的鞋帶。

還應指出, 在上面的試題中, 除了選A 之外, 還可以選B (to expect) 。CGEL 明確指出:

“as if 和as though 也可引導動詞不定詞。
She winked at me as if to say that I shouldn’t say anything.
她向我使眼色, 好像是告訴我什麼都不應當說。”

(參見as if 用法1)

as if 用法 4 (as if/ as though)

問：(1) I’ve loved you as if you were my son.
(2) He looked as though he were from the country.
as if 用法與as though 在意義和用法上有無區別?

答：許多語言學家都認為as if 與as though 在語意和用法上並沒有什麼區別。但是在口語中使用as if 的情況較多。在A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language 中把as if 和as though 當作一個詞條來處理。當然, 從修辭上講, 存在著使用哪個形式更合適的問題。但是, 這個問題已超出了我們的討論範圍。

as if 用法 5 (as if he knew / knows)

問：下面是某大學研考試題中的一道改錯題:
He talks as if he knows everything.
出題者要求將knows 改為knew(亦即要求使用假設語氣), 但我認為使用knows 也是符合現代英語慣用法的。不知您的看法如何?

答：英國著名語言學家R.Quirk 等人在A Grammar o f Contemporary English 中曾舉過這樣的例子:

He treats me as if I’m (I were) a stranger.

他們解釋道: The use of the hypothetical past makes little difference here, since both the present and past from imply the unreality of what is expressed in the subordinate clause; it is assumed from both sentences that ‘I am not a stranger’.
“這裡用不用假設過去時, 並沒有什麼區別, 因為現在形式和過去形式都表明as if子句所表達的內容是非真實的, 即兩個分句都含有‘I am not a stranger.’的意思。”)
這就是說, 當子句意可以明顯地看出as if 子句所表達的內容是非真實的時候, 使用陳述語氣或使用假設語氣是沒有什麼區別的。請看下面的例句:

1. He talks as if he has (he had) a potato in his mouth. (這兩個句子都意味著“他嘴裡並沒有真地含著一個土豆”)
   他說起話來就好像嘴裡含著一個土豆似的。
2. The stuffed dog barks as if it is real one.
   這個狗標本叫起來像真狗在叫似的。

(參見as if 用法4, as if 用法6)

as if 用法 6 (as if I were/ was)

問：It seems as if I was there yesterday.
試題要求將was 改為were。但我認為這裡用was 也是正確的。

答：對各類考生來說, 牢記as if I were 是有好處的。但是, 對於英語教師和英語研究者來說, 只記住這一點是不夠的, 還應瞭解更多的語言事實。在活生生的語言材料裡, 用as if I was 來代替as if I were 的現象是很常見的。Jespersen 曾指出, 在as if 之後有一種使用was 的傾向:

She spoke as if she was ashamed.
她講話好像害羞似的。

R.Quirk 等也認為as if I was 是一個正常的用法。

She treats me as if I was (I were) a stranger.
她對待我的態度, 就好像我是陌生人似的。

類似的例子:

1. They sat and looked at him as though he was disturbing them.
   他們坐著, 瞧了瞧他, 好像他打擾了他們似的。
2. He spoke so casually as though the matter was of little consequence.
   他說得很隨便, 就好像這事兒無足輕重似的。

(參見was/ were)

as if 用法 7 (as if you were/ are)

問：(1) I’ve loved you as if you were my son.
(2) It looks as if it is going to rain.
as if 用假設語氣與用陳述語氣有無區別?

答：一般而論, 如果as if 子句所表達的內容完全與實際情況相反或者純粹是一種假設時, 通常使用假設語氣。句(1) 含有“你並不是我的兒子”這個含義。請分析下面各例:

1. He acts as if he knew you. (具有“他並不認識你”的含義)
   看他的樣子似乎認識你似的。
2. She looks as if she were angry. (具有“她並沒有真的生氣”的含義)
   看她的表情, 她好像生氣了似的。
3. He walks as if he were drunk. (說話人認為“ 他並沒有喝醉”)
   他走路的樣子好像是喝醉了似的。

如果as if (though) 子句所表達的內容被看作是事實或者有可能是真實的, 就要使用陳述語氣。

1. He walks as if he is drunk.
   他走路好像喝醉了似的。
2. It looks as if she is in love again.
   看上去好像她又墜入情網了。
3. It looks as though we shall have to do the work ourselves.
   看來我們好像不得不自己來做這項工作了。
4. It seems as if we shall have to walk.
   看來好像我們不得不走著去了。

在你所提問的句(2) 中, as if 子句使用陳述語氣, 是因為說話人認為“真的要下雨”。因此之故, RWRT 作者們認為應將下列句中的as if snow were coming 改為as if snow was coming:

The light, though late now, was sharp, as if snow were coming on… behind that freezing iron leaf he watched the slice of cold evening, and pulled his coat across his chest.
儘管當時已經遲了, 光線還很分明, 似乎接著就要下雪了⋯⋯ 在那凍結得鐵一般的葉子後面, 他看著這一片寒冷的夜晚, 並把外套拉過胸部。(譯文引自《英語準確用詞詞典》)

但是, 也有特殊的情況: as if 子句使用陳述語氣或使用假設語氣, 其意義並沒有什麼差別。這主要是因為從上下文或句義可以明顯地看出as if 子句所表達的內容是非真實的。

1. She treats me as if I’m (I were) a stranger. (這兩個句子都意味著“我並不是一個陌生人”)
   她對待我的態度就好像我是個陌生人似的。
2. There he is to the life, looking as if at any moment he will slowly open those large grey heavy lidded eyes, stare at us solemnly for a minute, and then declare that “really he hasn’t the least idea.”
   這是寫生畫出來的他的肖像, 看上去現在還好像他會慢慢地睜開那大而灰色的,

眼皮重重地垂下著的兩眼, 嚴肅地望著我們, 一會兒之後, 就會說出,“我真是一點也不知道呀。”(譯文引自錢歌川《英文疑難詳解續篇》, p. 162)

(參見as if 用法5)

as if 用法 8 (It seems(looks) as if)

見It seems as if, It looks as if