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【摘要】本文通过实例介绍了英语中的“似非而是”句——表面上看不成立而实际又是正确的句子,并分析了它们句式结构的特殊所在。
【关键词】英语学习 句子结构
【Abstract】Through examples, this paper introduces “Seemingly wrong but actually right” sentences in the English language——those that appear wrong but prove to be right in practical usage, and analyses the special aspects of the structure of the sentences.
【Key words】English study, sentence structure
英语是世界上表现力最强且表达方式最丰富的语言之一,但中学英语教材(本文指2003年起用的人民教育出版社编写的全日制普通高级中学英语教科书修订本,下文简称NSEFC)中出现一些“似非而是”句——表面上看是错的,而实际上却是对的句子,这些句子难以用一般的语法规则去解释,教学参考书又未提供注释,其中有些连普通英语词典也查不到,笔者在此例析几句以窥一斑。
1.I was so happy. It was wonderful, like a dream come true. I could do the work I wanted to do and do something good for my country at the same time. (NSEFC,SB 2B, p4)(“我真高兴,这太棒了,就像梦想成真一样。我能做我过去想做的事,同时也能为国家做点好事。”)这儿,like a dream come true就属于“似非而是”结构。照一般的分析,如把like看作介词,则应该用coming true;而如果把like看作连词,则应该用comes true,显然,这两种分析均不成立。笔者在《英汉辞海》上找出了依据。该书上册A-F卷 p1023上写明: come true:如所想或预期地发生,成为现实:like a dream come true 像一个已成为现实的梦想。另外,在LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English (NEW EDITION) p476 的dream词条把be a dream come true作为idiom(习语)以粗体字列出:be a dream come true:If something is a dream come true, it happens after you have wanted it to happen for a long time. eg:Marriage to her is a dream come true. (结婚对她来说是实现了她的夙愿。)
学生练习中也有出现,如(摘自《英语周报》高二新课程版2006.2.17完形填充):The wagon was delivered the next day, and for Gayle it was a dream come true.(那玩具车第二天就寄出去了,这对于Gayle来说可谓梦想成真了)。因此,like a dream come true或be a dream come true是固定的地地道道的正确表达,我们不必以常规方式来分析它们。
2.“It?蒺s useless trying to argue with Shylock. You might as well go stand upon the beach argue with the sea.” (NSEFC,SB 2B, p. 67)(“跟夏洛克讲理是没有用的,你还不如站在海滩上跟大海讲理去。”)一般英语学习者都熟悉go to do、go and do 以及go doing的结构,而对go do颇感陌生,因为它在表面上看来是不符合语法规则的。笔者在《英汉辞海》中册G-P卷 p2238上查到go的用法:指毫不耽搁地进行——尤用于加强一个补充的动词。eg:if that infernal young fool hadn?蒺t gone and got killed(如果这个小傻瓜不急着去送命的话);told him to go hang himself〈要他马上见鬼去吧〉。由此我们不难看出,go do与go and do具有相同功用。《英语惯用法大词典》p256上也证明了这一点:go and do结构中的go并无实义,在美国英语中and常被省略。例如:
Please go get a doctor. 请去把医生找来。
They will go live in the suburbs. 他们将住到郊区去。
学生练习中也有出现。如(摘自《英语周报》高二人教修订版2006.2.17第33期对话填空):
——Do you want to go see a football game with me at the Workers Stadium?
你想和我去工人体育馆看足球赛吗?
——I would love to go. 我想去。
3. I?蒺ve known him walk with—I?蒺ve known him walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder, very fast indeed. (NSEFC,SB 3, p. 62) (我知道他走路挺快的——他边走边背着小蒂姆呢。)这个句子让人感到困惑的是作宾语补足语的walk怎么会用动词原形。英语中,跟动词原形作宾补的动词除了see, watch, notice, observe, look at, hear, listen to, feel等感官动词外,还有使役动词make, have, let及help(to可以保留,也可以省略),至于know是否有此用法,恐怕一般学习者心中无数。而实际上答案是肯定的,只是时态有所限制。《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p. 761上有明确阐述:
know:知道,会,懂
跟带不定式的复合结构:
a.现在时态后只跟to be:
I know him to be a fool. 我知道他是个傻瓜。
b.过去及完成时态后可用其他动词的不定式(多带to,有时也可不带to):
I have never known him sing so beautifully before. 我以前从不知道他唱得这么美。
I never knew him do anything without a very good reason. 我从不知道他毫无理由地做任何事情(即:我知道他做任何事情都是理由十足。)
△可用于被动结构(这时不定式要带to):
She is known to lie. 大家知道她撒谎。
事实上,英语中的“似非而是”结构并不罕见,又如:
4.强调句型It is…that/who…在口语中who/that等词可以省略,也构成了下列“似非而是”句(见《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p.735 上it的用法5):
I think it was Goethe said this. 我认为是歌瑟说了这件事。
It was then I heard Phuong?蒺s steps. 就在那时我听到了冯的脚步声。
△英语中很多从句的引导词that都可省略,特别是在口语中,我们决不能把它们看成是错句。例如:
It was clear (that) his words pleased her. 显然,他的话使她高兴。
I was surprised (that) he had gone. 他已经走了,我感到惊讶。
Now (that) you are a big boy you must behave better.
既然你已是一个大男孩了,你必须表现更好。
I tell you, I was so mad (that) I came close to hitting her. 听我说,我气坏了,差点揍她。
5.在某些状语从句中,当从句主语与主句主语相同或为it,从句谓语包含be时,则可将从句主语或it与be省略,构成省略句。例如:
While (she was) still a student, she played roles in many plays. (NSEFC, SB 1A, p. 30) 她还是一个学生时就在许多戏里扮演过角色。
If (it was) untreated, it would produce a powerful poison that would kill the patient. (NSEFC, SB 3, p. 53) 如果不治疗,这种病就会产生一种剧烈的毒素,导致病人死亡。
但是,as与than引导的状语从句中,有时可以只省略从句主语,而不省略be,从而构成下列“似非而是”结构。例如(见《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p.67 上as的用法):
1)as引起比较状语从句,表“像……一样地”:
He said that the situation there was not so bad as had been painted.
他说那儿的局势并没有人们描绘的那么糟。
Both houses were as clean as could be. 两幢房子都极其干净。
2)在一些句子中,than后可以直接跟谓语动词,这类从句一般用来表示程度或范围。例如(见《英语惯用法大词典》p. 880上than的用法):
He has drunk considerably more wine than is good for his health.
他酒喝得过多,已经到了有损健康的地步。
He seems to take a keener interest in the subject than has ever shown before.
他似乎对这个问题表现出前所未有的强烈兴趣。
△下面两句里的is和was可有可无:
We must not have more furniture in our room than (is) required for convenience.
为了方便舒适,我们房间里根本不需要更多的家具。
They came earlier than (was) expected. 他们比大家预料的来得要早些。
在日常教学工作中,我们也会经常碰到这样的“似非而是”句。比如某英语老师让学生翻译这样一个句子:每年冬天有成千上万的人来参观这个地方。有一位学生是这样翻译的:There are thousands of people come to visit the place every winter. 该老师毫不犹豫地打了叉。老师认为正确的句子应该是:There are thousands of people coming to visit the place every winter. 或Thousands of people come to visit the place every winter. 老师的两个句子无疑是对的,但是学生的那个句子也不错。《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p. 1723上有明确阐述:在there引起的句子中,如从句修饰句子主语,在口语中there有时也可以省略:
There?蒺s no one works harder than you. 没人比你工作更刻苦。
There?蒺s somebody at the door wants to see you. 门口有一个人想见你。
综上所述,英语中有多种形式的“似非而是”句,其中有许多是因省略了某些成分所致,教师在平时的教学实践中应指导学生多加留意,这对进一步认识英语丰富多样的表现手段和灵活运用英语是大有裨益的。
参考文献:
LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English (NEW EDITION)〔M〕. Longman, 2003
王同亿 英汉辞海〔M〕北京: 国防工业出版社,1990
张道真 现代英语用法词典 (重排本)〔M〕. 北京: 外语教学与研究出版社, 1994
王福帧 徐达山 英语惯用法大词典〔M〕. 北京: 北京科学技术出版社,1995
全日制普通高级中学教科书修订本 (必修) 英语第三册〔M〕. 北京: 人民教育出版, 2003
【关键词】英语学习 句子结构
【Abstract】Through examples, this paper introduces “Seemingly wrong but actually right” sentences in the English language——those that appear wrong but prove to be right in practical usage, and analyses the special aspects of the structure of the sentences.
【Key words】English study, sentence structure
英语是世界上表现力最强且表达方式最丰富的语言之一,但中学英语教材(本文指2003年起用的人民教育出版社编写的全日制普通高级中学英语教科书修订本,下文简称NSEFC)中出现一些“似非而是”句——表面上看是错的,而实际上却是对的句子,这些句子难以用一般的语法规则去解释,教学参考书又未提供注释,其中有些连普通英语词典也查不到,笔者在此例析几句以窥一斑。
1.I was so happy. It was wonderful, like a dream come true. I could do the work I wanted to do and do something good for my country at the same time. (NSEFC,SB 2B, p4)(“我真高兴,这太棒了,就像梦想成真一样。我能做我过去想做的事,同时也能为国家做点好事。”)这儿,like a dream come true就属于“似非而是”结构。照一般的分析,如把like看作介词,则应该用coming true;而如果把like看作连词,则应该用comes true,显然,这两种分析均不成立。笔者在《英汉辞海》上找出了依据。该书上册A-F卷 p1023上写明: come true:如所想或预期地发生,成为现实:like a dream come true 像一个已成为现实的梦想。另外,在LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English (NEW EDITION) p476 的dream词条把be a dream come true作为idiom(习语)以粗体字列出:be a dream come true:If something is a dream come true, it happens after you have wanted it to happen for a long time. eg:Marriage to her is a dream come true. (结婚对她来说是实现了她的夙愿。)
学生练习中也有出现,如(摘自《英语周报》高二新课程版2006.2.17完形填充):The wagon was delivered the next day, and for Gayle it was a dream come true.(那玩具车第二天就寄出去了,这对于Gayle来说可谓梦想成真了)。因此,like a dream come true或be a dream come true是固定的地地道道的正确表达,我们不必以常规方式来分析它们。
2.“It?蒺s useless trying to argue with Shylock. You might as well go stand upon the beach argue with the sea.” (NSEFC,SB 2B, p. 67)(“跟夏洛克讲理是没有用的,你还不如站在海滩上跟大海讲理去。”)一般英语学习者都熟悉go to do、go and do 以及go doing的结构,而对go do颇感陌生,因为它在表面上看来是不符合语法规则的。笔者在《英汉辞海》中册G-P卷 p2238上查到go的用法:指毫不耽搁地进行——尤用于加强一个补充的动词。eg:if that infernal young fool hadn?蒺t gone and got killed(如果这个小傻瓜不急着去送命的话);told him to go hang himself〈要他马上见鬼去吧〉。由此我们不难看出,go do与go and do具有相同功用。《英语惯用法大词典》p256上也证明了这一点:go and do结构中的go并无实义,在美国英语中and常被省略。例如:
Please go get a doctor. 请去把医生找来。
They will go live in the suburbs. 他们将住到郊区去。
学生练习中也有出现。如(摘自《英语周报》高二人教修订版2006.2.17第33期对话填空):
——Do you want to go see a football game with me at the Workers Stadium?
你想和我去工人体育馆看足球赛吗?
——I would love to go. 我想去。
3. I?蒺ve known him walk with—I?蒺ve known him walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder, very fast indeed. (NSEFC,SB 3, p. 62) (我知道他走路挺快的——他边走边背着小蒂姆呢。)这个句子让人感到困惑的是作宾语补足语的walk怎么会用动词原形。英语中,跟动词原形作宾补的动词除了see, watch, notice, observe, look at, hear, listen to, feel等感官动词外,还有使役动词make, have, let及help(to可以保留,也可以省略),至于know是否有此用法,恐怕一般学习者心中无数。而实际上答案是肯定的,只是时态有所限制。《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p. 761上有明确阐述:
know:知道,会,懂
跟带不定式的复合结构:
a.现在时态后只跟to be:
I know him to be a fool. 我知道他是个傻瓜。
b.过去及完成时态后可用其他动词的不定式(多带to,有时也可不带to):
I have never known him sing so beautifully before. 我以前从不知道他唱得这么美。
I never knew him do anything without a very good reason. 我从不知道他毫无理由地做任何事情(即:我知道他做任何事情都是理由十足。)
△可用于被动结构(这时不定式要带to):
She is known to lie. 大家知道她撒谎。
事实上,英语中的“似非而是”结构并不罕见,又如:
4.强调句型It is…that/who…在口语中who/that等词可以省略,也构成了下列“似非而是”句(见《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p.735 上it的用法5):
I think it was Goethe said this. 我认为是歌瑟说了这件事。
It was then I heard Phuong?蒺s steps. 就在那时我听到了冯的脚步声。
△英语中很多从句的引导词that都可省略,特别是在口语中,我们决不能把它们看成是错句。例如:
It was clear (that) his words pleased her. 显然,他的话使她高兴。
I was surprised (that) he had gone. 他已经走了,我感到惊讶。
Now (that) you are a big boy you must behave better.
既然你已是一个大男孩了,你必须表现更好。
I tell you, I was so mad (that) I came close to hitting her. 听我说,我气坏了,差点揍她。
5.在某些状语从句中,当从句主语与主句主语相同或为it,从句谓语包含be时,则可将从句主语或it与be省略,构成省略句。例如:
While (she was) still a student, she played roles in many plays. (NSEFC, SB 1A, p. 30) 她还是一个学生时就在许多戏里扮演过角色。
If (it was) untreated, it would produce a powerful poison that would kill the patient. (NSEFC, SB 3, p. 53) 如果不治疗,这种病就会产生一种剧烈的毒素,导致病人死亡。
但是,as与than引导的状语从句中,有时可以只省略从句主语,而不省略be,从而构成下列“似非而是”结构。例如(见《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p.67 上as的用法):
1)as引起比较状语从句,表“像……一样地”:
He said that the situation there was not so bad as had been painted.
他说那儿的局势并没有人们描绘的那么糟。
Both houses were as clean as could be. 两幢房子都极其干净。
2)在一些句子中,than后可以直接跟谓语动词,这类从句一般用来表示程度或范围。例如(见《英语惯用法大词典》p. 880上than的用法):
He has drunk considerably more wine than is good for his health.
他酒喝得过多,已经到了有损健康的地步。
He seems to take a keener interest in the subject than has ever shown before.
他似乎对这个问题表现出前所未有的强烈兴趣。
△下面两句里的is和was可有可无:
We must not have more furniture in our room than (is) required for convenience.
为了方便舒适,我们房间里根本不需要更多的家具。
They came earlier than (was) expected. 他们比大家预料的来得要早些。
在日常教学工作中,我们也会经常碰到这样的“似非而是”句。比如某英语老师让学生翻译这样一个句子:每年冬天有成千上万的人来参观这个地方。有一位学生是这样翻译的:There are thousands of people come to visit the place every winter. 该老师毫不犹豫地打了叉。老师认为正确的句子应该是:There are thousands of people coming to visit the place every winter. 或Thousands of people come to visit the place every winter. 老师的两个句子无疑是对的,但是学生的那个句子也不错。《现代英语用法词典》〈重排本〉p. 1723上有明确阐述:在there引起的句子中,如从句修饰句子主语,在口语中there有时也可以省略:
There?蒺s no one works harder than you. 没人比你工作更刻苦。
There?蒺s somebody at the door wants to see you. 门口有一个人想见你。
综上所述,英语中有多种形式的“似非而是”句,其中有许多是因省略了某些成分所致,教师在平时的教学实践中应指导学生多加留意,这对进一步认识英语丰富多样的表现手段和灵活运用英语是大有裨益的。
参考文献:
LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English (NEW EDITION)〔M〕. Longman, 2003
王同亿 英汉辞海〔M〕北京: 国防工业出版社,1990
张道真 现代英语用法词典 (重排本)〔M〕. 北京: 外语教学与研究出版社, 1994
王福帧 徐达山 英语惯用法大词典〔M〕. 北京: 北京科学技术出版社,1995
全日制普通高级中学教科书修订本 (必修) 英语第三册〔M〕. 北京: 人民教育出版, 2003