Take the 2-minute tour ×  My question concerns the usage of "as
if" as an idiomatic interjection. The references I have
consulted (etymonline, online dictionaries, etc.) seem to agree
that "as if" is used in this context to convey incredulity or
doubt. This is how I have always thought of it.  The other day,
I was with friends who used "as if" to express their surprise
and joy about a wedding proposal. They weren't being sarcastic
or incredulous; they were genuinely happy about the proposal.
Here is a loosely paraphrased version of what they said:  "As if
they're getting married!"  Is my friends' usage of "as if"
standard? Is it a primarily regional distinction? (I am in
Ontario, Canada right now.) The closest example we could come up
with is someone says "I can't believe that you won first prize!"
Of course, the person can and does believe it, so their words
ought not to be taken literally. Is it the same idea with "as
if"?  share|improve this question @Carlo_R.: That's not
necessarily true. For example, I f