might ⁷

除了用在虚拟条件句中之外,might have done 通常可以表达两种含义:

A. 推测过去有可能发生某事,至于这种可能性是否已变成了现实,说话人并不知道。在表达这一层含义时,might have done 可用 may have done 来代替。请分析下面的实例及其译法:1. You might have dropped it somewhere. [‘It is possible that you (have) dropped it some-where. ’ ] 你可能把那件东西掉在什么地方了。

2. He may/might have gone. (= It is possible that he went/has gone.) 他可能(已经)走了。

3. The train might have been delayed. (= Perhaps the train has been delayed.) 火车可能晚点了。

4. ‘What do you think that noise was?’——‘It might have been a cat.’ “你认为那是什么声音?”——“可能是一只猫。”

5. He may/might not have received the letter. 他可能没有收到那封信。

不难看出，问句中的 might have called for help 是属于上一用法。句意是：她可能会喊救命的呀。 B. 推测过去有可能发生某事，并且确切知道这种可能性并未变成现实（即表示过去有可能发生而事实上并未发生的事）。在表达这层含义时，might have done 不能用 may have done 来代替。请分析下面的实例及其译法：

1. You were stupid to try climbing up there. You might have killed yourself. 你试图攀登到那上边去是愚蠢的。你可能会摔死的。（说话人知道听话人并未摔死）

2. He came home alone. You shouldn't have let him do that; he might have got lost (but he didn't get lost). 他独自回家了。你不应当让他这么做，他可能会迷路的。（说话人知道他并未迷路）

3. Why did you leave the matches there? The children might have started a fire. 你为什么把火柴放在那儿？孩子们可能会点火的。

对于这种过去有可能发生但实际上未发生的事情,说话人可能有两种态度:庆幸或高兴,不满或责备:

1. You might have told me! 你本应该告诉我的！（抱怨）

2. You might have been more careful. 你本应该再细心些的。(指责)

3. You might have let me know earlier! 你本可以早点让我知道！（责备）

4. A lot of men died who might have been saved. 有许多人本来可以救活，却死了。（惋惜）

5. You might both have been caught and killed! 你们俩可能被捉住砍头的呀！（庆幸）由于 might have done 具有上面两种含义，所以有些句子可能会产生歧义：

You shouldn't have drunk the wine; it might have been drugged. 你本不应喝那酒，里边可

能放了麻药/里边是有可能放麻药的呀。（说话人不能确切知道酒里到底有没有放麻药/说话人现在确切知道酒里并没有放麻药）