接続詞

Now (that) I am a man, I think otherwise.

that は関係副詞である。となれば、意味は明らかだろう。

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Be careful lest you (should) break the dish. (= Be careful so that you shoud not break the dish.)

I took my umbrella lest it (should) rain. (= I took my umbrella for fear that it should rain.)

We feared lest he (should) lose his way. (= We feared that he would [ might ] lose his way.)

Lest darkness fall.

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No matter how cold it is, she always goes swimming. (= However cold it is, she always goes swimming.)

No matter what the weather is like, the regatta will be held. (= Whatever the weather is like, the regatta will take place.)

No matter how [ what, when, where, which ] he does, I will support him.

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There is little, if any, hope of your success.

Correct the errors, if any.

She seldom, if ever, goes out by herself.

if any は (even) if there are any errors の省略表現だと考えられる。if ever は (even) if she ever goes out by herself の省略表現。if any は数・量について使い、if ever は頻度について使う。

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He will get better before long. (= It will not be long before he gets better. )

before long は 「まもなく」 という意味。次も同様の文。

It is ten minutes before our train leaves.

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He cried as soon as he saw it.

The moment [ The instant ] he saw it, he cried.

No sooner had he seen it than he cried.

Hardly [ Scarcely ] had he seen it when [ before ] he cried.


これらの文はほぼ同じ意味。第2文は、冒頭の Now... と同じ考え方だ。

No sooner... の文は、「彼がそれを見たのは、彼が叫んだよりもちっとも早くない」 という意味。ほぼ同時だった、と言っている。

第4文では、「彼が叫んだとき（叫んだ前に）、彼はそれをほとんど見ていなかった」 という意味であり、ほぼ同時だったと言っている。

第3、第4文では強調のために否定の副詞が前に出ているので倒置が起こっている。前に出さない普通の語順の文も書ける。