今回はif it were not for~とif it had not been for~の意味のほか、倒置や省略、書き換えについて解説します。
一見ややこしい表現ですが、ポイントさえ押さえてしまえば簡単です。
3分程度で読めますよ！
【倒置/省略/書き換え】If it were not for/If it had not been forの意味
まずはIf it were not for/If it had not been forの意味のほか、倒置や省略、書き換えの全体像について確認してみましょう。
- If it were not for~: もし~がなければ (現在に対する仮定)
=Were it not for~ (倒置)
=But for~ (書き換え)
=Without~ (書き換え)
- If it had not been for~: もし~がなかったら (過去に対する仮定)
=Had it not been for~ (倒置)
=But for~ (書き換え)
=Without~ (書き換え)
※どちらの表現も”If not for~”のように省略されることもあります
倒置の場合もシンプルです。
- were / hadを文頭に持ってくる
- Ifを消す
この2ステップで、全く同じ意味を表すことが出来るのですね。
(仮定法では、このように倒置させることで、Ifを省略できます)
また、時制に関係なく、But for/Withoutで書き換えることも出来ます。さらに、どちらのパターンでも、If not forのように、it were/it hadが省略されることがあります。
具体例は下記にて見ていきましょう！
If it were not for/If it had not been forの例文
例文はコチラです。
まずはIf it were not forです。現在の意味で使えるのがポイントですね。
If it were not for her, he would not be here now.
= Were it not for her, he would not be here now.
= But for her, he would not be here now.
= Without her, he would not be here now.
= If it not for her, he would not be here now.
（彼女がいなければ、彼は今ここにはいないだろう）
次にIf it had not been forです。過去の意味で使えるのがポイントですね。
If it had not been for his effort, he would not have succeeded.
= Had it not been for his effort, he would not have succeeded.
= But for his effort, he would not have succeeded.
= Without his effort, he would not have succeeded.
= If it not for his effort, he would not have succeeded.
（彼の努力がなかったら、彼は成功しなかっただろう）
なお、withoutの代わりにwithを使うこともあります。詳しい意味や用法などは過去の記事をご参照ください。
参考記事：【決定版】but for, without, withを用いた仮定法とは？
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