"My father was a doctor"是指我父亲已不在世还是他改变了工作?

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"My father was a doctor"是指我父亲已不在世还是他改变了工作?

Question
If I say, "My father was a doctor," does this mean that he is no longer living, or that he changed his career? — Julia, China
如果我说"My father was a doctor,"这是不是意味着我父亲已不在世还是指他改变了他的工作?

Answer (韦氏字典英语语言学习出版总监Jane Mairs女士解答)

Without any context, the sentence "My father was a doctor" tells your listener(s) only that your father was a doctor in the past. Why he is no longer a doctor is left unspecified.
在没有上下文的情况下, "My father was a doctor"这句话只告诉听者你父亲过去是一名医生. 至于他为什么不再行医并没有加以说明.

As you point out, it could be because he has died, or because he has retired, or because he is now doing another kind of work. If you want your listener(s) to have this information, you need to add it.
有如你所指出的, 有可能因是为他已经过逝, 或者因为他已经退休, 或者因为他现在从事另外一种工作. 如果你想要你的倾听者取得这方面的消息, 你须要补充它.

But often the context of the conversation makes it clear, as in this example:
但经常从谈话的上下文可以清楚地了解到细节, 有如下面的例句:

Speaker A: Where do your parents live now?
说话者A: 你父母现在住哪儿?
Speaker B: In Florida. They retired there 10 years ago.
说话者B: 住在佛罗里达州. 他们十年前在那儿退休.
Speaker A: What kind of work did they do before they retired?
说话者A: 他们在退休前做什么样工作?
Speaker B: My father was a doctor, and my mother was a chemist.
说话者B: 我父亲是一名医师, 我母亲是一名化学师/药剂师.


I hope this helps!
希望这对你有所帮助!

英语原文来源: http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/my ... ger-living