台北新竹英文家教

017-1  Would that  假設語氣    

"Would that"是以前英語用來表達假設的方式之一。

例句 -

Would that he didn't tell a lie.

希望他沒說謊，實際上他說謊了。Would that後面所接的子句的動詞以過去式為多，代表與現在事實相反。另外，"Would that"可以被"If only"與"I wish that"取代。

更多例句 -

Would that my parents were here.

Would that Nancy could come.

Would that I knew the answer.

Would that I were you.

Would that our company's profit would be in black. \

Would that my dad were Santa Claus.  If so, I could have what I want.

Would that後面所接的子句的動詞以過去式為多，代表與現在事實相反。若是與過去事實相反，則以過去完成式表示。

例句 -

Do not drive him too hard or he perishes; Would that a lion had ravaged mankind Rather than the flood, Would that a wolf had ravaged mankind Rather than the flood, Would that famine had wasted the world Rather than the flood, Would that pestilence had wasted mankind Rather than the flood.  

(來源： Oxford University Press, The World of Myth: An Anthology, edited by David Adams Leeming)

Would that he wronged me ! would that he had hated me! would that he had troubled the stream of my being, rather than that I had disturbed and obstructed his ! 

(來源： A book of the passions, By George Payne R. James, Printed by James Moyes, Castle Street, Leicester Square, London)