Artyom Lugovoyadded a comment 7 years ago
Thanks a lot! I think ‘as if it were’ sounds better. I didn't want to mix English and Russian, so I answered in English. :)
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Artyom Lugovoyasked for translation 7 years ago
How to translate? (ru-en)
Да ну тебя вообще! Как ты не понимаешь?! Можно подумать, что я китайскую грамоту объясняю.
User translations (3)
- 1.
I mean really! How can you not get this?! You'd think I was speaking Chinese.
translation added by ⁌ ULY ⁍Gold ru-en3 - 2.
Oh come on already! How can you not get this?! It's not like I'm explaining quantum physics.
translation added by ⁌ ULY ⁍Gold ru-en2 - 3.
Oh, come on! How do you not understand it? As if it was all Greek to you.
translation added by Руслан ЗаславскийGold ru-en0
Discussion (5)
Руслан Заславскийadded a comment 7 years ago
Язык меняется, хотя меня так же учили в школе и университете касательно "were".
>Was" and "were" are interchangeable after "If I/he/she/it". There is no difference in meaning though "were" is more formal and is a subjunctive form on the verge of extinction. You can refer to almost any grammar book in the section on conditionals. Check out the Longman English Grammar by L. G. Alexander, for example.
Artyom Lugovoyadded a comment 7 years ago
Да, действительно, спасибо за ссылку! Но меня больше всего вот это убеждает:
"However, in spoken English - whether BE or AE - a significant number of people use "was" instead of "were" and, in fact, eschew the subjunctive completely".
⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 7 years ago
Ruslan: IT'S as if...
Artyom Lugovoyadded a comment 7 years ago
Thanks a lot, Uly!
Да, я тоже вначале хотел сказать, что там не "if it was/were", а именно "AS if", а потом отвлёкся и уже не думал, какой случай там обсуждается. Так что да, для "as if" должно быть обязательно "were", насколько я понимаю.