why wouldn't he

[navi tasan]

A says: Tom could have escaped but he didn't.

B asks:
1) Why didn't he?
2) Why wouldn't he?

Are '1' and '2' both acceptable in this context?
Is there any real difference in their meanings?

'2' seems to me to be saying: What reason could he have not to?

It is almost the same as '1', but maybe not quite. I think '1' assumes that A knows the answer. '2' seems to ask for a hypothesis.

 

[emsr2d2]

A native speaker wouldn't use 1. We'd say "Why not?"
2 doesn't work but is possible if changed to "Why would he?" It would be followed by some explanation of why the person thinks it actually makes sense that Tom didn't escape.

A: Tom could have escaped but he didn't.
B: Why would he? He's got everything he needs there. I wouldn't escape either!

 

[teechar]

By the same token, for example:
A: Tom escaped.
B: Why wouldn't he?! The prison guards had fled and the situation was chaotic after the coup.

Do you see now how "why would ..." and "why wouldn't ..." are used?