萬一 in the unlikely event of

(Photo by Meruyert Gonullu from Pexels)

片語

相似詞 slim chance / improbable
搭配詞 emergency / natural disaster

【單詞解析】

電影院裡面經常見到的標示 「In the unlikely event of a fire, please use the emergency exit closest to you.(萬一有火災,請就最近的出口離開。)」如果你寫成「If / In case there is a fire…」也可以,可是「In the unlikely event」更強調「萬一」之不可能性,言下之意,本戲院安全措施完善,著火機會極小,「萬一」有火災。這麼一解釋,大家就了解in the unlikely event這句片語的好用之處,既提醒火災時如何逃生,也暗示本戲院是很安全的。同理,如果你想說我老公老實可靠,怎會有外遇,就可以說「In the unlikely event that my husband has an affair…」這比「If my husband has an affair…」更具人妻的尊嚴。

此片語如果後面跟著名詞,就用of,如接子句,就用that,這是很基本的文法規則。另外以文意來說,此片語不能單獨存在,一定要加上將採行的動作,如 In the unlikely event that he doesn’t show up, can you perform instead?(萬一他沒來,你可以代演嗎?)」這樣才算把話說完。

與此片語意思相似,而且可以拼在一起用的是slim chance(機會渺茫),「There is only a slim chance that I’ll ever meet Michael Jordan. But in the unlikely event that I actually come across him, I will ask him to autograph my basketball.(我不太可能遇見 Michael Jordan. 但是萬一哪天真的碰上了,我要請他在我的籃球上簽名。)」

【例句】

萬一停電,請走樓梯而不要用電梯。
In the unlikely event of a power outage, use the stairs instead of the elevator.

萬一四點的時候他們一個人都沒到,我們就得取消此會議。
In the unlikely event that none of them can make it here by 4 p.m., we will have to cancel the meeting.

萬一迫降在水面上,椅子下可找到救生衣。
In the unlikely event of an emergency water landing, you may find a flotation device beneath your seat.