Learn English – The meaning of “I would as soon that remain a thestery”

phrases

So in this Garfield strip I found a sentence that's giving me a hard time fully understanding it. Although the meaning seems to be quite clear from the context, I'm not getting the phrases / expressions used.

In a response to a question whether he'd like to know where eggs come from, Garfield replies "I would as soon that remain a mystery". I'm especially not getting the "as soon" part: I can imagine the response being e.g. "I would prefer that remain a mystery" (or 'remained' ?).

What am I missing here?

Best Answer

I see nothing whatsoever wrong or difficult about the original sentence:

I would as soon that remain a mystery.

and I agree completely with OP's rewording as:

I would prefer that remain a mystery.

I would as soon that remain a mystery.

as soon as (suggested in one comment) is wrong, and is a time-related phrase:

as soon as ... at or not before the moment when ... • will pay you as soon as I receive the goods 1
as soon as at the very moment that • she burst into tears as soon as she saw him 2

On the other hand, as soon ... as ... conveys a preference:

as soon ... as ... used to state that the first alternative is slightly preferable to the second • He'd just as soon die as apologize to her. 1
as soon ... as used to indicate that the second alternative mentioned is not preferable to the first • I'd just as soon go by train as drive 2
soon readily or willingly: I would as soon walk as ride. 3
Note that most of the above examples use "just as soon ...", but that "just" is not part of the defined expression and is optional.

In the cited sentence, Garfield is using the first part of as soon ... as ... with the second part being omitted, thus expressing a preference (compared with an unspecified alternative), as in this definition:

somebody would (just) as soon formal used to say that someone would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen: I'd just as soon you didn't drive the car while I'm gone. 4

In this sense, the following expressions are all equivalent:

(just) as soon ... : He'd just as soon die ... 1
(just) as soon ... as : I'd just as soon go by train ... 2
as soon : I would as soon walk ... 3
(just) as soon : I'd just as soon you didn't drive the car while I'm gone. 4
sooner adverb preferably • I'd sooner die than go back there. 5
somebody would sooner do something (than) if you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant: I'd sooner die than marry you! 4
sooner adv. With willingness; readily: I'd as soon leave right now. 3

I would as soon that remain a mystery.

As stated in another comment, the first that is omitted, as in:

I would as soon [that] that remain a mystery.
I would as soon [that] it remain a mystery.

I would as soon that remain a mystery.

A further comment suggested that remains should have been used instead of remain, but the subjunctive form remain is correct.

So, when Garfield said:

I would as soon that remain a mystery.

he meant

I would very much prefer that where eggs come from should continue to be a mystery to me.

But he is known for his brevity - and it would have been more difficult to fit a longer form in the speech bubble!

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