No one knows why; theories include greater Bible reading (which would have kept Americans acquainted with older grammar) and immigrants who spoke subjunctive-filled languages. Whatever the reason, the subjunctive stuck out as a Yankeeism, irking British commentators such as Kingsley Amis, a novelist: “Be careful with any American writings, which often indulge in subjunctive forms.”
虛擬語氣在美國也逐漸消失，但在19世紀中后期開始重新出現，正如語言學家林恩•墨菲在《浪子的舌頭》一書中所述。沒人知道為什么；理論包括更多的圣經閱讀(這將使美國人熟悉更古老的語法)和說虛擬語言的移民。不管原因是什么，這個虛擬語氣以一種美國式的美國式而引人注目，惹惱了一些英國評論家，比如小說家金斯利·艾米斯：注意美國人的寫作，他們經常使用虛擬語氣。”
Yet it is on its way back in Britain, too. British writers still often replace it with the indicative; a recent report on the BBC website reads, “Facebook is determined that the future of the internet is shaped more in Brussels and Berlin than Beijing.” Strictly, the subjunctive requires “be shaped” rather than “is”. But some Britons have been happy to re-import the habit. The Guardian style guide endorses the subjunctive, which “can add elegance to your writing”. This is a slightly odd phrasing—matters of grammar are usually framed in terms of correctness, not elegance—but it is clear the subjunctive is having a second life.
然而，它也正在返回英國的路上。英國作家仍然經常用指示代詞代替它；英國廣播公司網站最近的一篇報道寫道，“Facebook is determined that the future of the internet is shaped more in Brussels and Berlin than Beijing.（Facebook認為，互聯網的未來更多是在布魯塞爾和柏林，而不是北京。）” 嚴格地說，虛擬語氣應該是“be shaped”，而不是“is”。但一些英國人樂于重新養成這種習慣。《衛報》風格指南支持虛擬語氣，它“可以為你的寫作增添優雅”。這是一個有點奇怪的短語——語法問題通常以正確性而非優雅性為框架——但很明顯，虛擬語氣有了第二次生命。
Stereotypes often have a grain of truth. Americans have indeed innovated extensively with English, as with other things. But language never sits still: the British variety itself went on changing after 1776, as all living languages must. Americans, for their part, eagerly import fashionable British slang. Instead of bemoaning new-fangled Americanisms, British observers could spare a thank you to the old colonies for keeping traditional English safe.
刻板印象往往有一點道理。美國人確實在英語和其他方面進行了廣泛的創新。但語言從來不會靜止不動：1776年后，英國的語言多樣性本身也在不斷變化，所有現存的語言都必須如此。美國人則熱衷于引進時髦的英國俚語。英國的觀察家們不必哀嘆新出現的美式英語，他們應該感謝舊殖民地保護了傳統英語的安全。
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