英語詞匯

四個表示“假設”、“假定”的動詞

嘉中

suppose、assume、presume、postulate

這組動詞可表示“假設”、“假定”的意思。

——————

suppose 普通用詞，指對事物進行假設、設想，所假設的事可能是真實的，也可能是虛構的

（從句需用虛擬語氣）。

例句：

Dan didn't answer my phone, so I suppose he's busy.

丹沒有接我的電話，所以我想他應該很忙。

We all supposed him to be German, but in fact he was Swiss.

我們都以為他是德國人，但事實上他是瑞士人。

Suppose he is absent, what shall we do?

假設缺席瞭，我們該怎麼辦？

Let's suppose that they had not helped us. What would have happened?

假定他們不曾幫助我們，會發生什麼情況呢? （虛擬語氣）

Suppose that one day scientists pick up a transmission which they think is

generated by aliens.

假設有一天科學傢收到瞭他們認為是外星人發射的信號。

Myths are accounts of important events that are supposed to have occurred some

time during a culture’s formative years.

神話是描述那些據說是發生的時間在某一個文化的形成年的代重要事件。

assume 假定，假設；臆斷，想當然地認為， 指主觀上毫無根據的武斷推測或不合

邏輯的推斷（to accept something to be true without question or proof）。

例句：

If you assume that something is ture, you imagine that it is true, sometimes

如果你假設某件事是真的，你就會以為它是真的，而有時卻是錯的。

I assumed that you knew each other because you went to the same school.

你們不是上同一所學校嗎？我還以為你們兩個認識呢。

It is entirely wrong to assume that your wealth entitles you to special respect.

你認為財富能使你享特特殊禮遇，那就大錯特錯瞭。

We can't assume the suspects to be guilty simply because they've decided to

remain silent.

我們不能僅僅因為疑犯選擇保持沉默，就斷定他們有罪。

Some people assume that there is life on the other planets when they see UFOs.

有些人看到瞭不明飛行物就想當然地推測其他的行星上有生命。

presume 與assume一樣，指對事物進行推測，不同的是側重指以過去的經驗或根據現實的

情況作出合乎邏揖的推測和設想。（也就是說有一定依據進行的假定，推定或認定）

例句：

I presume (that) they're not coming, since they haven't replied to the invitation.

他們對邀請還沒有答復，我猜想他們不會來瞭。

From the way he talked, I presumed him to be your boss.

從他說話的樣子看，我推定他是你的老板。

John didn’t say when he would return, but I presume that he’ll be back for dinner.

約翰沒有說他什麼時候回來,但我推測他將回來吃晚飯的。

The universe is presumed to contain many other planets with some form of life.

據推測，宇宙中很多其他行星上有某種形式的生命存在。

One is presumed to be innocent before the judge makes the final decision that he is

guilty of the crime.

在法官作出最終的判決一個人有罪之前，他是被假定無罪的。

postulate 多用於指證實為某一說法或理論而進行的假設。

例句：

It was the Greek astronomer, Ptolemy, who postulated that the earth was at

the centre of the universe.

古希臘天文學傢托勒密提出瞭地球是宇宙中心的假設。

Even if wepostulate that he had a motive for the murder, that still doesn’t mean he

did it.

即使我們假設他有謀殺的動機，那也並不意味著是他幹的。

Freud postulated that we all have a death instinct as well as a life instinct.

弗洛伊德曾假定我們所有人都有生存本能和死亡本能。

Scientists don't know why dinosaurs were extinct, but some theories postulate that

changes in geography, climate, and sea levels were responsible.

科學傢不知道恐龍為何絕種,有些理論推測是地理變化、氣候和海平面的變化造成的。