D标点符号的运用6(Punctuation)----破折号 Da
破折号 Dash
破折号等于两个连字号的长度(在打字时连打两次即可),而用途也比连字号较多,但有很多人都有误用或滥用破折号,尤其是撰写学术论文或求职信时,应注意减少使用。
(1)用破折号来表示语气或思想的突变:
例子:
He staggered, picked himself up, then fell backward-stone drunk at his wedding reception.
(2)用破折号来分隔或强调一插入语,包括同位语 appositives、例子或定义:
同位语:
Two of the strongest animals in the jungle are vegetarians—the elephant and the gorilla.
Dick Gregory, The Shadow that Scares Me
例子:
The care-takers—those who are helpers, nurturers, teachers, mothers—are still systematically devalued.
Ellen Goodman, “Just Woman’s Work?”
定义:
Personal space—“elbow room”—is a vital commodity for the human animal, and one that cannot be ignored without risking serious trouble.
Desmond Morris, Manwatching
(3)用破折号来引入摘要 summary:
例子:She wants high-style clothes, an elegant apartment, a modern car—in short, she wants money.
(4)用破折号来加强作者的论点:
例子:These five passages have not been picked out because they are especially bad—I could have quoted far worse if I have chosen—but because they illustrate various of the mental vices from which we now suffer.
George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language”
注意:
如果在一对玻折号中的句语包含问号(?)或感叹号(!),则把问号或感叹号放在破折号之前。但其它标点符号如逗号(,),冒号(:),分号(;)或句号(.)不能跟着使用破折号。
例子:
A first date—do you remember?—stays in the memory forever.
(5)谈话的句子中,用破折号来表示犹豫或中断说话:
例子:“Naturally,” said Mr Lorry. “Yes— I —“ After a pause, he added, again settling the crisp flaxen wig at the ears, “It is very difficult to begin.”
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
连字符 Hyphen
(1)连接两字或多个字成为一形容词来形容一名词,并放于一名词之前:
例子:
sixteen-year-old son
up-to-date information
注意:
I) 在名词之后,不可用连结字,如下列所示:
His son is sixteen years old.
The information was clearly not up to date.
II) 不可用连字号将有 –ly 结尾的副词adverb和一形容词作连结,如下所示:
carefully developed plot
usually fine wine
(2)用连字号来表示分数,以及介乎二十至一百之复合数字:
分数例子:
one-fourth complete
a two-thirds majority
数字例子:
twenty-one
fifty-two
(3)用连字号来连结 root words 与前缀 prefixes 或后缀 suffixes:
前缀 prefixes:pro-, anti-, self-, great-, co-, all-
后缀 suffixes:-elect
例子:
pro-abolitionist
anti-abolitionist
self-confessed
great-grandmother
co-worker
all-loving
governor-elect
congressman-elect
(4)使用连字号来连结两个或以上的名词,使之成为复合词 compound nouns:
例子:
double-decker
half-light
hair-stylist
father-in-law