The English language would be just as rich in terms for different kinds of snow, presumably, if the environments in which English was habitually used made such distinction important.
这句话中的 just as 如何理解?
不少英语新手误以为表示比较就需要用比较状语从句,这是不对的理解。假如比较对象在前一句中已经提及,则后句中的比较级就完全没必要再用比较状语从句,用了反而是多此一举。比如:
Tom is 1.8 metres tall. And John is as tall. Jim is taller.
Tom ate 6 spring rolls, and you ate as many.
以上二句中,比较对象在前面已经交代了解了,根本没必要再用比较状语从句。
French has many different words to discribe snow. (或者诸这样类的内容在前面已经提及,下面句中的just as rich in terms for...为同级比较,有同样丰富的词语表示不一样的雪。)English languagewould bejust as rich in terms for diferent kinds of snow, if...本句是个虚拟条件句,假设如果用英语的环境中区别不一样的雪非常重要的话,英语本来也会像法语一样有丰富的词语描述不一样的雪。(实质是英国的环境没必要描述不一样的雪)。
本句是改错的,if从句谓语表示的是与过去事实相反的假设(即英语语言形成过程中),所以从句谓语动词应该用had made, 而不是made.