单词 | 名词短语 |
释义 | 〔participle〕The "dangling participle" is quite common in speech,where it often passes unremarked;but its use in writing can lead to unintentional absurdities,as in He went to watch his horse take a turn around the track carrying a copy of the breeders' guide under his arm. Even when the construction occasions no ambiguity,it is likely to distract the reader,who will ordinarily be operating on the assumption that a participle or other modifying phrase will be associated with the noun phrase that is immediately adjacent to it.Thus the sentenceTurning the corner, the view was quite different would be better rewritten as The view was quite different when we turned the corner or Turning the corner, we saw a different view. · A number of expressions originally derived from active participles are now well established as prepositions of a kind,and these may be used freely to introduce phrases that are not associated with the immediately adjacent noun phrase.Such expressions includeconcerning, considering, failing, granting, judging by, and speaking of. Thus one may writeSpeaking of politics, the elections have been postponed or Considering the hour, it is surprising that he arrived at all. “不连结分词”在口语中十分常见,只是常常被忽略;但它在书面中却会无意地导致语义模糊,如:他胳膊下夹着一本饲养员指南书去看他的马转过跑道的拐弯处。 即使这种结构不会产生语义不清,它也很可能迷惑读者,他们通常会假定分词或其它的修饰性短语会跟其紧接的名词性短语相联系。这样,最好把句子转弯后,景色大为不同 写成 我们一转弯就发现景色大为不同 或 转弯后我们看到景色大为不同。 · 一些最初由主动分词派生出来的表达方式现在已经作为某类介词而被固定下来,这些表达方式可以用来引入一些与紧接的名词短语没有联系的短语,这些表达方式包括concerning,considering,failing,granting,judging by 和 speaking of。 由此我们就可以这样写考虑到政治因素,将选举延期了 或 就时间来说,他在任何情况下到来都令人惊讶 〔every〕Every is representative of a large class of English words and expressions that are singular in formbut felt to be plural in sense.The class includes, for example, noun phrases introduced byevery, any, and certain uses of some. These expressions invariably take a singular verb;we say Every car has (not have ) been tested. Anyone is (not are ) liable to fall ill. But when a sentence contains a pronoun whose antecedent is introduced byevery, grammar and sense pull in different directions.The grammar of these expressions requires a singular pronoun, as in Every car must have its brakes tested, but people persist in using the plural pronoun,as in Every car must have their brakes tested. Although the latter pattern is common in the speech of all groups,it is still widely regarded as grammatically incorrect in writing. ·The effort to adhere to the grammatical rule leads to various complications, however.The first is grammatical.When a pronoun refers to a phrase containingevery or any that falls within a different independent clause, the pronoun cannot be singular.Thus it is simply not English to sayEvery man left; he took his raincoat with him. Nor can one sayNo one could be seen, could he? Writers unwilling to use plural forms in these examples must find another way of expressing their meaning,either by rephrasing the sentence so as to get the pronoun into the same clause (as inEvery man left, taking his raincoat with him ) or by substituting another word forevery or any (as in All the men left; they took their raincoats with them. ) · The second complication is political.When a phrase introduced byevery or any refers to a group containing both men and women, what shall be the gender of the singular pronoun?This matter is discussed in the Usage Note athe. See Usage Note at all ,any ,each ,either ,he 1neither ,none Every 是一大类英语单词和短语的代表, 它们在形式上是单数的,但在意义上感觉起来却是复数。例如,这一类词中所包括的由every,any 和某些用法中的 some 所引导的名词短语。 这些短语毫无例外的跟单数动词,我们说每辆车都已 (不是 have ) 被测试过。 每个人都(不是 are ) 会生病 。 但是当一个句子中包括一个由先行词every 引导的代词时, 从句法和意义上就要区分不同的情况了。象每一辆车必须测试它的制动器 这样的表达法在语法上要求使用一单数代词, 但人们总习惯于用复数代词,象Every car must have their brakes tested 这样。 虽然后面这种形式在各种团体的讲话中非常普遍,但它在写作中仍广泛地被认为是语法上的错误。无论如何,坚持语法规则的努力总会导致各种各样的复杂问题。首先是语法上的复杂性。当一个代词指代一个短语,而这个短语中包括every 或 any 属于另一个与此代词所在子句不同的独立子句中时, 这个代词不能用单数形式。因此很容易理解英国人为何不说每个人离开时,都拿着各自的雨衣 , 也不说没有人会被看到,不是吗? 。 不愿意在这些例子中用复数形式的书写者必须找到另外一种表达他们意思的方法,或者可以通过重新改变句子的说法以使代词与其指代的短语同属一个从句中(如Every man left, taking his raincoat with him ), 或者通过以另一个词代替every 或 any 的方法(如 All the man left;they took their raincoats with them )。 第二是政治上的复杂性。当一个被every 或 any 引导的短语指代的一个团体中既有男人又有女人时, 单数代词的词性怎么确定呢?这个问题在单词he的用法说明中将被讨论 参见 all,any,each,either,he1neither,none〔the〕Used before singular or plural nouns and noun phrases that denote particular, specified persons or things:这个:用于单数或复数名词或名词短语前指特定人或事:〔either〕When the construction mixes singular and plural elements, however,there is some confusion as to which form the verb should take.It has sometimes been suggested that the verb should agree with whichever noun phrase is closest to it;thus one would writeEither Eve or the Kays have been invited, butEither the Kays or Eve has been invited. This pattern is accepted by 54 percent of the Usage Panel.Others have maintained that the construction is fundamentally inconsistent whichever number is assigned to the verband that such sentences should be rewritten accordingly.As Wilson Follett put it:然而,当结构中既有单数又有复数成分的时候,动词应采取什么形式说法不定。人们有时建议动词的人称和数应与离得最近的名词短语呼应;因此人们说Either Eve or the Kays have been invited , 而不是Either the Kays or Eve has been invited 。 这种格式被用法使用小组54的成员所接受。也有人认为不管动词用什么样的数, 这个结构本质上都是一致的,因此这样的句子应重写。象威尔逊·伏莱特所说的:〔which〕The antecedent ofwhich can sometimes be a sentence or clause, as opposed to a noun phrase,as inShe ignored him, which proved to be unwise. They swept the council elections,which could never have happened under the old rules. Such examples are unexceptionable,but care should be taken that this usage does not cause ambiguities.The sentenceIt emerged that Edna made the complaint, which surprised everybody may mean either that the complaint was surprising or that it was surprising that Edna made it. The ambiguity can be avoided with paraphrases such asIt emerged that Edna made the complaint, a revelation that surprised everybody. ? In its use to refer to the contents of sentences and clauses,which should be used only when it is preceded by its antecedent. When the antecedent follows,what should be used, particularly in formal style: Still, he has not said he will withdraw, which is more surprising but Still, what (not which ) is more surprising, he has not said he will withdraw. See Usage Note at that ,what ,whose which 的先行词有时可为一个句子或一个从句, 与名词短语相对立,如在句子她忽视了他,结果证明这是不明智的。 他们在委员会选举中一举获胜,这在旧体制下是永远不会发生的。 这样的例子是无懈可击的,但应该小心谨慎以使这种用法不致于引起模棱两可。句子It emerged that Edna made the complaint, which surprised everybody(埃德娜发出了使每个人都很吃惊的怨言) 既可以指怨气让人吃惊也可以指抱怨的是埃德娜而让人吃惊。 用例如It emerged that Edna made the complaint, a revelation that surprised everybody.(埃德娜大加抱怨,这发现让大家都很吃惊) 这样的句子就可以避免模棱两可。 在它被用来指句子或从句内容时,which 只用在先行词在其前面时。 当先行词跟在后面时,就应该用what ,特别是在正式文体中: Still, he has not said he will withdraw, which is more surprising(他依然还是没说他将退出,这更让人吃惊) 但另外一种形式 Still, what (不用 which ) is more surprising, he has not said he will withdraw.(然而,更让人吃惊的是他还是没说他将退出) 参见 that,what,whose〔nor〕When a noun phrase of the typeno this or that is introduced by no, or is more common than nor : 当一个名词短语以形式no this or that 被 no,or 引入时比 nor 更常用: 〔we〕When the pronoun is followed by an appositive noun phrase,the formus is frequently encountered where grammatical correctness would require we, as inUs owners (properly We owners ) will have something to say about the contract. Less frequently,we is substituted for us, as inFor we students, it's a no-win situation. Both usages should be avoided.See Usage Note at be ,I 1当代词后跟同位的名词短语时,us 常常被使用,但正确的语法要求使用 we, 如在Us owners (正确的应是 We owners ) will have something to say about the contract(我们这些所有者关于此合同会有些话讲), we 不太多见被用来代替 us, 如在For we students, it's a no-win situation(对我们学生来说,这是一个决无胜算的情形)。 两种用法都应避免 参见 be,I1〔than〕Since the 18th centurygrammarians have insisted thatthan should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, so that a sentence such asBill is taller than Tom should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Bill is taller than Tom is. According to this view,the case of a pronoun followingthan is determined by whether the pronoun serves as the subject or object of the verb that is "understood.” Thus, the standard rule requiresPat is taller than I (not me ) on the assumption that this sentence is elliptical forPat is taller than I am but allowsThe news surprised Pat more than me, since this sentence is taken as elliptical forThe news surprised Pat more than it surprised me. However,than is quite commonly treated as a preposition when followed by an isolated noun phrase, and as such occurs with a pronoun in the objective case:John is taller than me. Though this usage is still widely regarded as incorrect,it is predominant in speechand has reputable literary precedent.It is also consistent with the fact thatthan is clearly treated as a preposition in the than whom construction, as ina poet than whom (not than who ) no one has a dearer place in the hearts of his countrymen. Still, the writer who risks a sentence such asMary is taller than him in formal writing must be prepared to defend the usage against objections of critics who are unlikely to be dissuaded from their conviction that the usage is incorrect. · Comparatives usingas . . . as can be analyzed in a parallel way to those using than. Traditional grammarians insist thatI am not as tall as he is the only correct form, and though both literary precedent and syntactic arguments can be marshaled in support of the analysis of the secondas as a preposition (which would license I am not as tall as him ), one should treat this use ofas as a conjunction in formal writing. See Usage Note at as 1自18世纪以来,语法学家坚持以为than 在其所有用法中均应被看作连词, 因此,在诸如Bill is taller than Tom 的句子中应解释为句子 Bill is taller than Tom is 的省略说法。 根据这一观点,than 后跟随代词的情况取决于该代词作为所“理解”的动词的主语还是谓语。 这样,标准规则要求Pat is taller than I (而不是 me ), 考虑到这个句子是Pat is taller than I am 的省略, 但允许The news surprised Pat more than me , 因为这个句子被认当是The news surprised Pat more than it surprised me 的省略。 然而,当than 跟随一个独立名词短语时常被看作是介词, 如代词用于宾语的情况:John is taller than me 。 尽管这种用法仍然被广泛认为是错误的,但它仍在口语中占主要地位,并且有著名的文学先例。它也符合than 在 than whom 结构中显然被认为是介词的事实, 就象在a poet than whom (而不是 than who ) no one has a dearer place in the hearts of his countrymen 。 然而,冒险在正式写作中应用诸如Mary is taller than him 的作者必须准备针对那些不可能被劝服放弃坚信这种用法是错误的批评家们的反对意见而对此种用法进行辩护。 用比较级as…as 可以用与 than 相同的方式进行分析。 传统的语法学家坚持认为I am not as tall as he 是唯一正确的形式, 尽管文学先例和语法规则都能支持第二个as 作为介词(即允许 I am not as tall as him )的分析, 我们仍应该把这个as 作为正式写作中的连词 参见 as1〔nor〕Oris also more common than nor when such a noun phrase, adjective phrase, or adverb phrase is introduced bynot : Or在下面这种情况下比 nor 常用, 如一个名词短语、形容词短语或副词短语被not 引导时: 〔plus〕Philosophers of mathematics have long debated the proper analysis of the relation denoted by the + sign in equations such as 2 + 2 = 4,so it is not surprising that the syntactic status of its natural language equivalent, the wordplus, should be similarly problematic— though to be sure, the questions are primarily of theoretical interest.When mathematical equations are pronounced as English sentences,the verb is usually in the singular:Two plus two is (or equals ) four. By the same token,subjects containing two noun phrases joined byplus are usually construed as singular: 数学哲学家们已就诸如2+2=4这类等式中的“+”号所表示的关系的正确分析进行了长期的辩论,所以这一符号的自然语言对应物——即单词plus 的语法地位应同样不确定也就不足为奇了—— 纵然可以确定,这些问题也主要是理论上的兴趣。当数学等式被转化为英语句子,动词通常用单数形式:Two plus two is(或 equals ) four。 通过同样的记号,包含两个由plus 联结的名词短语的主语通常被视为单数: 〔wish〕 This usage is consonant with formal style,where it is natural to treat the desires of others with exaggerated deference.The corresponding use ofwish with a noun-phrase object is less frequent, though it cannot be regarded as incorrect: 这种用法符合正式文体,因正式文体中对别人的愿望表示出夸大的尊重很自然。尽管不会认为是错误的,但wish 加上名词短语作宾语不太常见: |
随便看 |
英汉汉英双解词典收录301015条英汉双解翻译词条,可根据汉字查询相应的英文词汇,基本涵盖了全部常用汉字的英文读音、翻译及用法,是英语学习及翻译工作的有利工具。