Subject: sum : references on ' as if / though . . . '

a few weeks ago i sent out a query to ask for references about a possible difference between ' as if ' and ' as though ' constructions in english instantiated by the following . ( 1 ) tony writes as { if / though } he { were / was / is } left-handed . ( 2 ) she looked as { if / though } she { were / was } ill . i ' ve received four replies . here i would like to thank those who took time to give me information , as listed in the following . izzy ( israel ) cohen ( req-telaviv ) < izzy @ telaviv . ndsoft . com > mark campana < campana @ hawaii . edu > david houghton < dh2 @ acsu . buffalo . edu > alessandra bertocchi < bertocchi @ ecn01 . economia . unibo . it > here is a summary . izzy cohen gave a relevant part from the random house dict . the random house online dictionary 1992 contains : though idiom 4 . < as though > as if : it seemed as though the place was deserted . ironically , the same source also contains : as 9 . though : strange as it seems , it is so . so , not only does as if = as though , sometimes as = though . re : were vs . was ( vs . is ) : this is a question of whether the subjunctive should be used . the same source advises : subjunctive ( suhb jungk ' tiv ) adj . 1 . of or designating a grammatical mood typically used for subjective , doubtful , hypothetical , or grammatically subordinate statements or questions , as the mood of be in if this be treason . compare imperative ( def . 3 indicative ( def . 2 ) . n . 2 . the subjunctive mood . 3 . a verb form in the subjunctive mood . [ 1520-30 ; < ll subjunctivus = l subjunct ( us ) , ptp . of subjungere to harness , subjoin ( sub - sub - + jungere to join ) + - ivus - ive ] derived words - - sub-junc ' tive-ly , adv . usage . the subjunctive mood has largely disappeared in english . it survives , though inconsistently , in sentences with conditional clauses contrary to fact and in subordinate clauses after verbs like wish : if the house were nearer to the road , we would hear more traffic noise . i wish i were in florida . the subjunctive also occurs in subordinate that clauses after a main clause expressing recommendation , resolution , demand , etc . : we ask that each tenant take ( not takes ) responsibility for keeping the front door locked . it is important that only fresh spinach be ( not is ) used . the subjunctive occurs too in some established or idiomatic expressions : so be it . heaven help us . god rest ye merry , gentlemen . mark campana gave his intuition : i do n't have any references on your question per se , but my intuitions tell me that ' as though ' can imply a feeling of suspicion - i . e . that [ the subject ] is trying to be something that s / he is not . this intuition is not as strong in the corresponding ' as if ' construction . david houghton gave his intuition as well : i do n't know of any papers you might read concerning this topic , but , for what it 's worth , i can offer my intuitions as a native speaker . it struck me as i contemplated the contrast that the sentences with ' as if ' were better with some past tense form , and best with the subjunctive form . those with ' as though ' were better with the indicative forms . i cannot say that my semantic intuitions on this topic are very firm , but it seems to me that there is a corresponding contrast between counterfactuality with ' as if ' and mere hypotheticalness with ' as though ' . if any or all of these distinctions are real , i suspect they are not very strictly observed in colloquial usage . alessandra bertocchi made a little research and wrote : i ' ve made a little research myself to see the difference ( if any ) between ' as if , as though ' my point of departure is latin ' quasi ' , which is ( apparent - ly ) indifferently translated with both . ' quasi ' refers to an unreal world in any case ( for the speaker ) , which can be real for the subject , in some cases . so i wonder whether this may be the difference also between ' as if / as though ' . i have found only few word on this matter in j . haimann ( 1974 ) , ' foundations of language ' 11 , p . 353 : " in at least one construction , there is no difference , even aspectual , between the conjunctions ' if ' and ' though ' : max spends money as ( if , though ) it was going out of style i have also asked some native speakers , but no one perceives any difference . the only one who feels that it is possible that they differ ( but he is not sure of it ) is i . sag . he wrote to me that ' as though ' seems to be more counterfactual than ' as if ' . so horn suspension would give : he speaks as if he were in charge , and in fact he is ? he speaks as though he were in charge , and in fact he is but , to say it with haimann , complete mystery surrounds the nature of this construction . so , if you get more certain judgements and if there are references , please , let me know . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - thanks again for the contributions and i ' ll let you know of further progress . ken sugayama kensei sugayama dept of english kobe city univ . of foreign studies department of linguistics university of manchester e-mail : xj9k-sgym @ j . asahi-net . or . jp e-mail : k . sugayama @ stud . man . ac . uk
