No one knows why; theories include greater Bible reading (which would have kept Americans acquainted with older grammar) and immigrants who spoke subjunctive-filled languages. Whatever the reason, the subjunctive stuck out as a Yankeeism, irking British commentators such as Kingsley Amis, a novelist: “Be careful with any American writings, which often indulge in subjunctive forms.”
虚拟语气在美国也逐渐消失，但在19世纪中后期开始重新出现，正如语言学家林恩•墨菲在《浪子的舌头》一书中所述。没人知道为什么；理论包括更多的圣经阅读(这将使美国人熟悉更古老的语法)和说虚拟语言的移民。不管原因是什么，这个虚拟语气以一种美国式的美国式而引人注目，惹恼了一些英国评论家，比如小说家金斯利·艾米斯：注意美国人的写作，他们经常使用虚拟语气。”
Yet it is on its way back in Britain, too. British writers still often replace it with the indicative; a recent report on the BBC website reads, “Facebook is determined that the future of the internet is shaped more in Brussels and Berlin than Beijing.” Strictly, the subjunctive requires “be shaped” rather than “is”. But some Britons have been happy to re-import the habit. The Guardian style guide endorses the subjunctive, which “can add elegance to your writing”. This is a slightly odd phrasing—matters of grammar are usually framed in terms of correctness, not elegance—but it is clear the subjunctive is having a second life.
然而，它也正在返回英国的路上。英国作家仍然经常用指示代词代替它；英国广播公司网站最近的一篇报道写道，“Facebook is determined that the future of the internet is shaped more in Brussels and Berlin than Beijing.（Facebook认为，互联网的未来更多是在布鲁塞尔和柏林，而不是北京。）” 严格地说，虚拟语气应该是“be shaped”，而不是“is”。但一些英国人乐于重新养成这种习惯。《卫报》风格指南支持虚拟语气，它“可以为你的写作增添优雅”。这是一个有点奇怪的短语——语法问题通常以正确性而非优雅性为框架——但很明显，虚拟语气有了第二次生命。
Stereotypes often have a grain of truth. Americans have indeed innovated extensively with English, as with other things. But language never sits still: the British variety itself went on changing after 1776, as all living languages must. Americans, for their part, eagerly import fashionable British slang. Instead of bemoaning new-fangled Americanisms, British observers could spare a thank you to the old colonies for keeping traditional English safe.
刻板印象往往有一点道理。美国人确实在英语和其他方面进行了广泛的创新。但语言从来不会静止不动：1776年后，英国的语言多样性本身也在不断变化，所有现存的语言都必须如此。美国人则热衷于引进时髦的英国俚语。英国的观察家们不必哀叹新出现的美式英语，他们应该感谢旧殖民地保护了传统英语的安全。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
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