2. 外语
  3. Why don’t people just say what they mean? The reason is that conversational partners are not modems downloading information in

Why don’t people just say what they mean? The reason is that conversational partners are not modems downloading information in

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问题     Why don’t people just say what they mean? The reason is that
conversational partners are not modems downloading information
into each other’s brains. People are very, very touchy about their re
lationships. Whenever we speak to someone, you are presuming 【M1】______
two of you have a certain degree of familiarity—which 【M2】______
your words might alter. So every sentence has to do two
things for once: convey a message and continue to negotiate 【M3】______
with that relationship. The clearest example is ordinary politeness. When 【M4】______
you are at a dinner party and want the salt, you don’t blurt out, ""Gimme the
salt."" So, you use what linguists call a whimperative, as in ""Do you think 【M5】______
you could pass the salt?"" or ""If you could pass the salt, that will be awe- 【M6】______
some."" Taken literally, these sentences are inane. The second is an overstate
ment, and the answer to the first is obvious. Fortunately, the hearer assumes
that the speaker is irrational and listens between the lines. Yes, your point 【M7】______
is to request the salt, but you’re doing it in such a way that first takes care
to establish what linguist call ""felicity conditions"", or the prerequisites to 【M8】______
make a sensible request. The underlying rationale is that the hearer not be 【M9】______
given a command but simply is asked or advised about one of the necessary 【M10】______
conditions for passing the salt. Your goal is to have your need satisfied with
out treating the listener as a flunky who can be bossed around at will.
【M6】
选项
答案will — would
解析 本句是日常会话中表示礼貌的常用说法，if从句用虚拟语气，主句也应保持一致。另一种改法是把could去掉，使句子成为陈述语气，不够恰当。
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