有读者问一道选择题:
(1)—How do you like my new car?
— I like it, but would you please_________park it on the road?
A. not to B. not C. don't D. won't
答案是A,为什么不选B?
这里可选A,亦可选B。一般说来,please后接带to的不定式的用法已经有点过时,显得比较古旧。
在20世纪20年代出版的《袖珍牛津词典》(Pocket Oxford Dictionary )里还有如下的例证:
(2)Please to ring the bell.
(3)Please not to forget.
但时至今日,这种结构并未完全消失(尤其在英国英语中),上述句(2)即是一例。再如:
(4)What I did was very bad. Please to forgive me, Shane.
(5)“Please to shut up!”cried Syd Parks.
(6)You will please not to disturb him.
但请注意,please to与please虽然皆可作“请”解,而其语法功能并不相同,试比较:
(7)Will you please to come in?(please在此是谓语动词,位置比较固定,其后须接一位语法大师所谓的infinitive of specification,即特定的不定式)
(8)Will you please come in?(以前人们常将这里的please视为虚拟式,当今则多被看做副词或感叹词,其位置较为灵活)
