《文法俱乐部》读书摘记12:关系从句简化
写在前面: 我曾经多次吐槽过一些论文的句子过长,结构过于复杂。除去作者的部分原因外,我想跟自身的英语 基础 太差有关。为了不抵触这类长难句,我决定补一补英语语法。
请注意本文题目为 摘记, 所以文字大多出于原文( 如有违权,请及时联系删除 )。边抄录边揣摩有助于学习作者遣词造句的手法和行文逻辑,对自己以后写文章也是大有好处的。
首先复习一下从句简化的基本原则:
省略主语与 be 动词,只保留补语部分
目录
1.补语为 Ven
2.补语为 Ving
3.补语为 to V
4.补语为一般形容词
- 补语为名词
前面 “关系从句 ” 一章中提到过:关系词 作关系从句 宾语 使用时常常可以省略:
- The man whom you asked about is here.
- →(B) The man you asked about is here.
关系词是宾语而省略掉的情况,只是一般性的省略。关系从句中仍有主语、动词( (B)
的you asked about
),所以这种省略不算是真正的简化从句。
如果关系词是关系从句的 主语,那么简化起来,省略主语就势必也要省略be
动词,这就是典型的形容词从句简化。以下就简化之后所留下的不同 补语 来加以分类介绍。
1.补语为 Ven
例1
:
- Beer which is chilled to 6°C is most delicious.
- Beer chilled to 6°C is most delicious. (简化后)
例2
:
-
Your brother John, who was wounded in war, will soon be sent home.
-
Your brother John, wounded in war, will soon be sent home.(简化后)
2.补语为 Ving
例1
:
- The ship which is coming to shore is from Gaoxiong.
- The ship coming to shore is from Gaoxiong.(简化后)
例2
:
- My old car, which breaks down every other week,won't last much longer.
- My old car, breaking down every other week, won't last much longer.(简化后)
这个关系从句,动词是 breaks down
,既无 be
动词也无 助动词,无法省略,所以要先改成有 be
动词的形态:is breaking down
,有了 be
动词,breaking down
就可成为补语部分保留下来,只省略主语与 be
动词。
3.补语为 to V
如果关系从句的动词有语气助动词存在,就会成为不定词补语留下来。例如:
例1
:
- John is the one who should go this time.(这次是约翰走人。)
- John is the one to go this time.(简化后)
例2
:
- He will be the toughest guy whom you must deal with
- He will be the toughest guy you must deal with.(关系词是宾语,可以省略)
- He will be the toughest guy to deal with.(省略从句主语)
例3
:
- I have a job that your brother can do.
- I have a job your brother can do.(关系词是宾语,可以省略)
- I have a job to do.(省略从句主语,错误)
- I have a job for your brother to do.(用介系词短语来安插从句主语)
- 补语为一般形容词
-
Hilary Clinton, who is pretty and intelligent,is a popular First Lady.
-
Hilary Clinton, pretty and intelligent, is a popular First Lady.
由此观之,形容词只有两种位置:名词短语中 (a pretty woman
)及补语位置(the woman is pretty
)。如果乍看之下两个位置都不是,那么多半就是简化形容词从句的残留补语。
- 补语为名词
关系从句是 形容词类,如果简化主语和 be
动词,剩下的是 名词补语,其词类虽与原来的关系从句词类有冲突,但仍然可以使用。传统语法则为此取了个名称:同位语,来避开词类的冲突。例如:
- Bill Clinton, who is President of the U.S.,is a Baby Boomer.
- Bill Clinton, President of the U.S., is a Baby Boomer.