Ask & Learn闻问切英语口语: Wouldn't want to
读者 Daniel 在电影 Spread 中听到以下对白:
I'd let you sleep in my bed, but I wouldn't want to get you confused.
Daniel 问:如果把 "I wouldn't want to" 改成 "I don't want to",会否令意思有所不同?
如果改成 "I don't want to",是会对意思有些微的改动。要了解 don't 和 wouldn't 的分别,应从 subjunctive mood 入手。但中文没有 subjunctive mood ,要解释恐怕会相当费劲。
Subjunctive mood 中文是虚拟语态,用来描述一些不会发生或者发生机会不大的事情。例如:如果地球是平的,我就不要住在地球的边缘,因为掉下去的机会太大了。但事实上地球是圆的,所以我们表达上述的意思时,就要采用 subjunctive mood :"If the earth were flat, I wouldn't want to live on its edge." 这里必须用 wouldn't,don't 是肯定错的。
Daniel 提出的句子也用了 subjunctive mood。"I'd let you sleep in my bed" 就是指出虽然说话的人不介意,但他不能让对方睡在自己的床上,因为他不想对方会错意。因此这里应用 "wouldn't want to"。
相反,如果剧中人打算让对方睡在自己的床上,但提醒对方不要会错意,就应采用 declarative mood 了:
I'll let you sleep in my bed, but I don't want to get you confused.
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