if用法详解(四)  whether 基本用法

在表达“是否”含义时， if 与whether 有些许重合的地方。本文拟先从whether词义、用法、词组三个方面，佐以丰富例句展开。

一、whether词典释义

1.conj.（表示迟疑或两个可能性之间的选择）是否

The key issue was whether the four defendants acted dishonestly.

关键问题是4名被告是否存在欺诈行为。

Whether such properties are a good deal will depend on individual situations.

这样的地产是否可获得大笔收益还要视具体情形而定。

It remains to be seen whether her parliamentary colleagues will agree.

她的国会同僚是否同意，现在还无从知晓。

It makes no odds to me whether you go or stay.

你的去留与我无关。

It's not a case of whether anyone would notice or not.

这不是是否有人注意到的问题。

2.conj.（表示两种情况都真实）无论...或者…，不管是…（还是）…

American parents, whether rich or poor, have similar expectations of their children despite different ways of parenting.

美国父母，无论富，对孩子有相似的期望，尽管不同的养育方式。

I think it would be satisfaction of enjoying things with others, meaning when you give it to others, whether it's time, attention, a gift, anything, just those moments of sharing.

· 我认为这将是与他人享受事物的满足，意味着当你把它给别人，无论是时间，关注，礼物，任何东西，只是那些分享的时刻。·

People who work toward such excellence—whether they are driving a truck, or running a store--make the world better just by being the kind of people they are.

那些追求卓越的人——无论是开卡车还是经营商店——成为他们这样的人让世界变得更美好。

Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness.

无论是分享面包，还是在特殊场合或者在家庭餐桌上，都是团结的共同象征。

Students who are found with pets, whether (they are)visiting or owned by the student, are subject to an initial fine of $100 and a continuing fine of $50 a day per pet.

被发现携带宠物的学生，无论是探访类宠物还是自有类宠物，都将被处100美元的初始罚款和每只宠物每天50美元的持续罚款。

二、whether用法

1.表对一种(或两种)情况作非确切推测，引导名词性从句，作主语、宾语、表语、同位语

It can be inferred from the passage that Nigel Shadbolt doubts whether people would pay as much attention to a kite mark as they think.

从这段文字中可以推断出，奈杰尔·沙德博尔特怀疑人们是否会像他们想象的那样关注风筝标记。

Just tell us whether you can undertake the task or not.

只要告诉我们你是否能承担这项任务即可。

After that, survey respondents disagree over whether this generation will follow in their parents' footsteps, moving to the suburbs to raise families, or will choose to remain in the city center.

在那之后，受访者对这一代人是会追随父母的脚步，搬到郊区养家，还是会选择留在市中心存在分歧。

The question, however, is whether this is what the developing countries need the most.

然而，问题是，这是否是发展中国家最需要的东西。

Yet there are doubts whether people watching television, a lean back medium, crave interaction.

然而，人们仍然怀疑，那些喜欢看电视的人是否会渴望互动。

2.表让步，引导状语从句

（一）whether以陈述句语序表非虚拟语气

Whether you love or loathe their music, you can't deny their talent.

§ 无论你是否喜欢他们的音乐，你都无法否认他们的才能。

I'm going whether you like it or not.

不管你愿意不愿意，我都要走了。

  You've got to go to school, whether you like it or not.

不管你喜欢不喜欢，你得上学。

You are entitled to a free gift whether you accept our offer of insurance or not.

无论你接不接受我们的保险提议，你都可以免费得到一份礼物。

There seems to be little difference whether you eat all your calorie allowance at once, or spread it over the day.

无论你是一次性吃完全天的卡路里限量还是分散在一天里吃，似乎没多大区别。

（二）whether和be联用，以陈述句语序表虚拟语气

These qualities are what have made great writers great, whether they be George Eliot or Tolstoy.

 这些品质使伟大的作家如此伟大，无论他们是乔治·艾略特还是托尔斯泰。

Indian workers, whether they be in the organised sector or the unorganised sector, are too poor for that. 

印度工人，无论是有组织的还是无组织的，都太穷了。

§It frees countries to allocate their resources—whether they be cheap labour, fertile land or educated minds—as efficiently as possible. §

§  它让各国能够尽可能有效地分配其资源——无论是廉价的劳动力、肥沃的土地还是受过教育的人才。

Most stories —whether they be novels, plays, films, or slide decks — have a beginning, the middle, and an end. 

大多数故事——无论是小说、戏剧、电影还是幻灯片——都有开头、中间和结尾。

"It's never too late, whether it be 10 years, 15, or 28 like mine, " she added. 

“现在永远不会太晚，无论是10年，还是15年，或28年，”她补充说。

When the change comes, how do we handle it, whether it be good or bad? 

当变化到来时，我们该如何处理它，无论它是好是坏？

Whether it be on the beach, at the grocery store or even in the office, people love to free their feet. 

§  无论是在海滩上，在杂货店里，甚至是在办公室里，人们都喜欢解放他们的脚。

（三）whether省略以倒装语序表虚拟语气

Whether he is rich or poor, I will marry him.

→Whether he be rich or poor, I will marry him.

→Be he rich or poor, I will marry him.

注：语法专家对whether倒装虚拟的阐释

1.《夸克语法》里说be的虚拟式有一种文学色彩

(Be he) friend or foe, the law regards him as a criminal. 〔“whether he is(or be) friend or foe,...”〕

（无论他）是朋友还是敌人，法律都视他为罪犯。

2. 《薄冰语法》里说be it这类用法较为正式

In the case of opera, the composers wrote their music following the original texts, be they in Italian , French or German.

在歌剧方面，作曲家是按照原文来写音乐的，无论是意大利语、法语还是德语。

Nothing, whether it be wars or political campaigns, had separated them. But today they were to part company for ever.

无论是战争还是政治竞选，都没有什么能把他们分开。但今天他们要永远分手了。

She enjoys watching dance, be it ballet, national minority dancing or any other sort of dancing.

芭蕾舞也好，民族舞也好，随便什么舞她都喜欢看。

Be it a painting, a photograph, a poem or a novel, if you created it, you own it and it’s the copyright law itself that assures that ownership.

不管是一张画，一张相片，一首诗或是一本小说，如果你创造了它，你就拥有了它，而它的版权法本身就保证其所有权。

The concept implies educational opportunity for all children—the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capacity, whether that capacity be small or great.

这一概念暗示所有儿童都应享有教育机会——每个儿童，无论自身能力大小，都有权在尽其所能的学习中接受帮助。

  She exhibits the idealism common to many advocates of sustainability, be it in food or in energy.

她罗列出了许多可持续性的倡议者所共有的理想主义,无论是在食品还是在能源方面。

三、whether 词组

1.whether...or...或者…或者…; （不管）是…还是…; 

or作并列连词，连接对等并列成分：

Whether you play or watch TV, you mustn’t disturb me.

不管你是玩还是看电视，不许打扰到我。

I’m not sure whether we should stay or go.

我不确定我们是该留下还是该离开。

He doesn’t know whether to play basketball or to play football.

他不知道该去打篮球还是踢足球。

I need you to help me decide whether to buy a house or just rent an apartment for now.

我需要你帮我决定现在是买房还是租公寓。

Whether (we are)happy or sad, we should try to keep smiling.

不管开心还是难过，我们都要尽力保持微笑。

They have no idea whether Mary or her sister will win.

他们不知道是玛丽会赢还是她妹妹会赢。

Whether at home or at school, he is a naughty boy.

无论在家还是在学校，他都是一个很调皮的男孩子。

Whether you drive fast or slow, please drive carefully.

无论你开的快还是慢，请仔细开。

However, we can achieve meaning only if we have made a commitment to something larger than our own little egos, whether to loved ones, or to some moral concept.

然而，只有当我们对比我们自己的小自我更大的承诺，无论是对爱的人，还是对爱人，还是对某些道德概念时，我们才能获得意义。

2.whether(...)or not ...与否；不管是不是，无论如何

介于whether与whether...or 之间，在whether 只对一种选项进行猜测时提出其相反面，强调肯、否定的情况，表示强烈情感：

(Whether you)Believe it or not, it’s true.

信不信由你，那是真的。

Nobody knows whether he will come back alive (or not).

没人知道他会不会活着回来。

I’ll go to the party whether or not you want me to.

不管你想不想(我去)，我都要去参加晚会。

It doesn’t matter whether you arrive early or not.

无论你是否早到都没关系。

It is debatable whether or not antibiotics would make any difference.

抗生素能否起到什么作用还无法定论。

Whether or not he realised the fact was neither here nor there.

他是否认识到事实真相无关紧要。

Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.

我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定.

Whether or not it then gets the carrot depends on the whim of the mule driver.

那时候它是否吃得到这串萝卜,得看驴夫的高兴.

They will consider whether or not he has been guilty of serious professional misconduct.

他们将考虑他是否犯有玩忽职守的重大过失。

You examine a patient and then you decide whether or not to operate.

先为病人作检查，然后再决定是否做手术。

The jury is out on whether or not this is true.  

这是否属实仍未得出定论。

He was faced with a dilemma of whether or not to return to his country.

他面临着是否返回祖国的两难境地。

They now have two weeks to decide whether or not to buy.

现在他们有两周时间决定到底买还是不买。

What I want to know is whether or not you have lost faith in me.

我想知道的是你对我是否失去了信心。

Not all women have the choice whether or not to breast-feed their babies.

不是所有的妇女都能选择是否用母乳哺育自己的孩子。

Such records have been impressive features of New England literature, whether or not (they are )intended for publication.

这类作品, 不论当初是否打算出版,都是新英格兰文学珍品.

We have to accept that they are part of our lives, whether we like it or not.

无论我们喜欢与否，那是我们生活的一部分。

When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic.

当我30多岁开始跑步时，我意识到跑步是一场与自己的战斗，而不是关于竞争或我是否运动的事情。