有一读者问: 我知道可以用shall I和shall we询问对方的意图或愿望,但不知可否用will I或will we提问?
will I和will we往往用以针对对方的“will (won't)you...?”而进行反问的。它们可能表示几种不同的含义,视不同的上下文而定。但多半表示“当然如此”或“那还用问”的意思。现举一二例如下:
(1)
— Will you give me a hand?
— Will I? Why, of course I will.
(2)— You'll come, won't you?
— Oh, will I?
但will I和will we除可以用简略答语表示同意对方的要求外,还可以用在完整的一般疑问句中。这种用法似乎多出现在美国英语中,如:
(3)— Will I take the peas with me?
— No, I'll finish shelling them myself. (will I在此等于shall I)
但在更多的情况下,will I或will we在其所在的疑问句中并不等于shall I或shall we,而是用以询问将来的事实,如:
(4)Doctor, will I die?
(5)Andre, what will I do with you?
试比较下列两个疑问句:
(6)Will we eat on the plane?
(7)Shall we eat on the plane?
例(6)相当于:
(8)Do you know whether in fact we will eat on the plane? 你知道我们实际上会在飞机上用餐吗?
例(7)则基本上等于:
(9)Do you want to eat on the plane? 你愿意在飞机上用餐吗?
