“As well as”是英语中一个常见的短语,其基本用法为表示“和……一样”。它可以在句子中用来连接两个并列的成分,常常具有补充、并列的作用。不过,除了这个常见用法外,当“as well as”拆开使用时,它的意思和语法结构会发生一定变化。
最常见的用法是“as well as”表示“和……一样”。在这种用法中,它通常连接两个名词、动词或形容词,并表示两者的并列或比较。
当“as well as”连接名词时,它相当于“and”,表示两者同时存在。
She speaks English as well as French.(她既会说英语,也会说法语。)
We need to buy bread as well as butter.(我们需要买面包和黄油。)
当连接动词时,“as well as”依然表示并列,但有时它强调第二个动作。
He sings as well as dances.(他既会唱歌,也会跳舞。)
The teacher explained the concept as well as demonstrated it.(老师既解释了概念,也进行了演示。)
当连接形容词或副词时,“as well as”通常表示两者具有相似或相同的特征。
She is as clever as well as beautiful.(她既聪明又美丽。)
The movie was as exciting as it was funny.(这部电影既令人兴奋又搞笑。)
当“as well as”中的“well”与“as”分开使用时,句子的含义发生了显著变化。这种结构通常会有更强的对比或反讽意味,有时还带有“与其做X,不如做Y”的语气。
在这种情况下,“X”和“Y”分别代表两种情况,结构的意思是,“做X(坏的事情)与做Y(坏的事情)一样,不如选择做Y”。这种用法在文学和口语中常带有某种批判、反讽的意味。
例如:
One may as well not know a thing at all as know it imperfectly.(一知半解,倒不如干脆一无所知。)
He might as well have been a robot, he showed no emotion.(他简直像个机器人一样,毫无表情。)
这些句子中的“as well X as Y”结构,通过对比表达出,做X和做Y几乎没有差别,甚至有时强调做Y是更好的选择。
“I might as well”通常用来表达某种无奈或消极的选择,类似于“反正做什么都无所谓,干脆选择做这个”或“既然都这样了,不如……”。
例如:
I'm going to be late for work anyway, so I think I'll go to the shop for a paper. I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.(反正上班要迟到了,所以我打算索性到店里去买张报纸。一不做二不休嘛。)
这句话中的“be hanged for a sheep as a lamb”是一个成语,意思是“反正偷一只小羊也是要被处以绞刑,那就宁可偷一只大羊,一样被处以绞刑”。这句成语表达了对某事的无奈和决定采取极端行动的心态。
“Might as well”有时带有强烈的反讽或批评意味,尤其在描述对某种事物的强烈不满或决绝时。
If God were as you Calvinists say, I would not worship Him. I would rather go to Hell because I might as well be in Hell as to have to spend eternity with such a wicked, evil and untrustworthy god.(假如上帝真的像你们加尔文派所说的那样,我就不会崇拜他,我就会宁可下地狱,因为与其跟这样一个狠毒、邪恶、不值得信任的上帝度过永恒,我就倒不如到地狱里过。)
在这句话中,使用了“might as well”来表示对于上帝性质的强烈反感,表达了与其忍受永恒的痛苦,不如选择直接下地狱的决绝心态。
在某些情况下,使用“might”或“may”时,语气和意思会有所不同。通常,“may”用于表达一般的、普遍的可能性,而“might”则用于表达更为特定的、当前时刻的假设或选择。
“May”通常表示一种普遍可能的情况,特别是在推测和假设中。例如:
If God were as you Calvinists say, I would not worship Him. I would rather go to Hell because I may as well be in Hell as to have to spend eternity with such a wicked, evil and untrustworthy god.(如果上帝真如你们所说的那样,我宁愿选择下地狱,也不愿与一个邪恶、不可信的上帝度过永恒。)
而“might”更多地用于表示当前的、具体的假设情况。例如:
I might as well go to the shop.(我干脆去商店算了。)
通过对“as well as”以及其拆开使用时的多种用法进行深入剖析,我们可以看出这个表达方式的多层含义。在日常口语和文学作品中,灵活运用“as well as”不仅能够帮助我们丰富句式,还能通过“as well X as Y”的结构表达出更加细腻的情感或反讽意味。