英汉翻译理论与技巧（之六十五）

65. Subjunctives of Doubt and Concession

65.1 Doubt

A. Synthetic Form— if…be ; if…were

(1) We cannot tell if this story be exactly true. 我们说不定这故事究竟是否千真万确。

(2) While I went to see if this were possible, she waited in the hall. 我去看此事（究竟）是否可能时，她在走廊等我。

(3) He has never asked me if it were so or not. 他从来没有问过我这事（究竟）是否（是不是）如此。

B. Analytic Forms—whether…would; if…should

(4) I cannot tell whether he would come or not. 我说不定他（究竟）来不来。（or, ……他会不会来。）

(5) He asked if he should work again. 他问（他究竟）要不要（应否）重做。

65.2 Concession

A. Synthetic Forms

1) Be; do

(6) So be it! (=Let it be so.!) 听之（任之）！（=随它去吧！）

(7) Come what will. 任其发展。（=让任何事来吧。）

(8) Home is home, be it ever so homely. 纵令简陋，家总归是家。

(9) I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little. —Samual Johnson’s Letter to Lord Chesterfield 我已尽其在我，（人之所能）纵极微薄，固不甘受人白眼也。（……人之所能，即使很少，如为他人所忽视，也觉不愉快。）——《塞缪尔约翰逊致切斯特菲尔特伯爵函》

2) Even though…were; even if…had been; though…did

(10) Even though he were here, he would not help us. 即使他在此，也不会帮助我们。

(11) Even if it had been raining, I should have gone to the country yesterday. 即使昨天一直在下雨，我也应该下乡去。

(12) Though he made every effort, he cannot succeed. 他虽多方尽力，仍不能成功。

3）However do; whatever do; whoever be

(13) However hard it rain, we shall have to go. 不论雨下得多么大，我们还是要去。

(14) Whatever he say, I will not change my opinion. 不论他说什么，我决不改变我的意见。

(15) Whoever you be, you have no right to do such a thing. 不论你是谁，也无权做这种事。

B. Analytic Forms

1) Though…should; Even if…might

(16) Though it should rain, we shall have to go. 虽然会下雨，我们也要去。

(17) Even if he might come in time, I would not rely upon him. 即使他可能会及时到达，我也不去依赖他。

2) Whoever…may

(18) Whoever he may be, his position in society is determined solely by his personal work and his personal ability. 不论他（可能∕会）是谁，他的社会地位完全取决于他本人的工作（情况）及其能力。