《白鲸记》中的这个句子应该如何理解？

But wherefore it was that after having repeatedly smelt the sea as a merchant sailor,I should now take it into my head to go on a whaling voyage.

以上句子来自《白鲸记》第一章，请教一下老师们，这个it was that是什么结构？that是引导表语从句吗？应该如何理解？

希望老师解惑，谢谢！

这不是一个完整的句子，而只是but后接一个名词性从句。wherefore=why, 在此为疑问副词，在强调句型中引导名词性疑问分句。相当于：

But why it was that...

我用一个简单的句子解释。

I sold my house because I needed a lot of money to pay my medical bill.

用强调句型强调原因状语：

It was because I needed a lot of money to pay my medical bill that I sold my house.

就划线部分提问，得到特殊问句：

Why was it that you sold your house?

如果这个问句作名词性成分，则为：why it was that I sold my house.

例如：The question was not when I sold my house. But why it was that I sold my house.

用wherefore 替换 why，得到：

The question was not when I sold my house. But wherefore it was that I sold my house.

你的句子就是这种结构。

曹荣禄 -

擅长：动词用法,句法问题 | 采纳率 82% | 回答于 2020-11-28 07:44

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