上文(英语的句型(4))介绍第三种句型的他动构造——主语+谓语+宾语(Subject + Predicate + Object),讲到了在及物动词后面接宾语时,中文和英文的表达法有四个不同之处。本文继续讲解第五个不同之处。
(5)有很多动词,在中文中被用作不及物动词,但在英文中却是及物动词,后面要接宾语。请看以下例句:
A misfortune befell him. 不幸降临到他身上。
This style of dress becomes you well. 这种式样的衣服对你很适合。
They resemble each other in size. 二者大小相似。
We can reach Penang in half an hour. 半小时内我们就到槟城了。
They say ghosts haunt that house. 据说那屋子有鬼。
Don’t enter this room. 不要进这屋子去。
在英文中,不及物动词在下列四种情形中可以作为及物动词使用,后面直接接上宾语:
1. 接用同系宾语(Cognate Object),如He lived a happy life. (他过了幸福的一生。)例句:
I dreamed a strange dream. 我做了一个奇怪的梦。
He slept the sleep that knows no waking. 他一睡不醒。
I have fought a good fight. (Bible) 我打了一场好仗。(圣经)
He sighed a sigh and prayed a prayer. 他吐了一口气,才来念了祈祷文。
不仅不及物动词可以接同系宾语,及物动词有时也可以接同系宾语,例如:tell a tale, sing a song,see a sight等等。在同系宾语上附有修饰形容词时,通例可以换成方式副词(Adverb of Manner),如live a long life = live long(长寿); live a happy life = live happily(生活幸福); die a natural death = die naturally(寿终,无疾而终); die a violent death = die by violence(暴死)等等。有的宾语与动词不同语源,但意义相通,也可视为同类,如:run a race(参加赛跑); run a course(开设课程); run one’s career(经营自己的事业); fight a battle(打仗); blow a gale(吹大风); strike a blow(击出一拳); ring a peal(鸣钟); wreak one’s vengeance(报仇雪恨)等。
漠然无所指的“it”,也可以看做是一种同系宾语。例如:
I am determined to fight it out. ( = fight to the end) 我决心奋斗到底。
Lord Angelo dukes it (= plays the part of duke) well. ( Shakespeare) 安哲罗勋爵很有爵爷的神气。(莎士比亚)
I am used to roughing it. 我已习惯于栉风沐雨。
The whites lord it over the natives. 白人对土人如君临一般。
We are born to slave it for our lord. (Thackeray) 我们是生来为君王效犬马之劳的。(萨克雷)
He is starring it in the provinces. 他到各地巡回演出。
We had to walk it in the rain. 我们不得不冒雨前行。
Can’t you swim it?你能游泳过去吗?
在某些习语中,可以将同系宾语略去。如look thanks为look a look of thanks的省略。其他例句为:
He looked the thanks he could not express. 他眼中现出言语无法表达的感谢。
She left the room, looking daggers at me. 她以短剑相刺的目光望着我,而走出房间去了。
I asked if he was satisfied, and he nodded assent. 我问他是否满意,他点头表示首肯。
Does the man write a good hand?那人的字写得好吗?
当我们用形容词的最高级时,一般也要把同系宾语略去。例如:
The lady was looking her best (look). 那妇人在那个时候看上去最美。
She sang her sweetest (song) to please him. 她唱出她最好听的歌声来取悦他。
do one’s best (or utmost) = do all one can do 尽全力
see the last of anything = see it no more 再也不见了
hear the last of anything = hear of it no more 再无消息
breathe one’s last = expire 呼出最后一口气,即死去
2. 具有使动的意味(Causative Sense),如The farmer grows rice. 农人种稻。其他例句为:
She stood the candle on the floor. (Dickens) 她把蜡烛竖在地板上。(狄更斯)
I slowly walked my horse up the hill. 我慢慢带马走上小山。
They ran the ship aground. 他们把船开到滩上去了。
They swam their horses across the river. 他们使马泅水渡河。
The ship was flying the flag of truce. 那船上挂出降旗。
The next tide will float the ship. 下次满潮时船就可以浮起来了。
The cruiser sank the transport. 巡洋舰把那运输船击沉了。
They work the horses too hard. 他们过分地酷使了那些马。
I laid myself down to rest my wearied limbs. 我躺下好让疲惫的双腿休息一下。
3. 接用介词(Preposition),例如:What are you looking at?你在看什么?其他例句为:
How was the result brought about?怎样得到那个结果的?
She was much run after in her youth. 她在年轻的时候,追她的人很多。
Everybody frowns at a naughty child. 顽皮的孩子人人皱眉。
Possession makes one wish for more. 越有越是想要。
Fools persist in their error. 愚人才不认错。
I do not know of any such man. 我不知道真有这样的人。
I shall not dwell on the subject at any length. 我不会把这问题一直讲下去的。
You had better think over the matter at your leisure. 你最好有空的时候把那件事情仔细想一下。
My mother objects to the match. 我的母亲反对这门亲事。
Pleasure must not interfere with duty. 娱乐不能妨害正事。
4. 加补足语(Complement),如We often talked the night away. 我们时常谈一整夜。其他例句为:
One must not sleep or dream one’s life away. 做人不可醉生梦死。
You can sleep off your fatigue. 睡眠能恢复你的疲劳。
He sits out the other guests. 别的客人都走光了他还不走。
He can talk people over to his own views. 他能说服别人听从他的意见。
Look up the word for yourself in the dictionary. 你自己去查字典吧。
They shouted down the orator. 他们大叫着把演讲者轰下台来。
He bored me to death. 他使我厌烦死了。
He has reasoned me into compliance. 他向我说出种种道理,使我非答应不可。
I have talked him out of his resolution. 我说得他把原来的决定推翻了。
在第三句型的构造中,有下列十一种形式:
1. 主语+及物动词+名词(S. + Vt. + Noun):
I keep a diary every day. 我每天记日记。
2. 主语+及物动词+代词(S. + Vt. + Pronoun):
They know us very well. 他们很了解我们。
3. 主语+及物动词+动名词(S. + Vt. +-ing):
I like playing tennis. 我喜欢打网球。
I do not advise your seeing him at this time. 我建议你这个时候不要见他。
4. 主语+及物动词+介词+动名词(S. + Vt. + Prep. +-ing):
Mrs Smith objected to our riding across the lawn. 史密斯夫人不同意我们骑马穿过草坪。
The girl insists on going to the movies. 那个女孩坚持去电影院。
He persists in doing something in his own way. 他坚持按自己的方式做事。
5. 主语+及物动词+不定式(S. + Vt. + to-Infinitive):
I like to play tennis with them. 我喜欢和他们打网球。
6. 主语+及物动词+ what (whom, which)+不定式(S. + Vt. + what (whom, which) + to-Infinitive):
I don’t know what to do. 我不知道该怎么办。
I don’t know what book to read. 我不知道读哪本书。
We must know whom to choose. 我们必须知道选谁。
I don’t know whom to go to. 我不知道该去找谁。
Do you know which to choose? 你知道该选哪个吗?
Do you know which way to take? 你知道该走哪条路吗?
7. 主语+及物动词+ how (when, where)+不定式(S. + Vt. + how (when, where) + to-Infinitive):
You must learn how to swim. 你必须学游泳。
We must decide when to start. 我们必须决定何时开始。
She will show where to sit. 她会指给我看坐哪儿。
8. 主语+及物动词+ that从句(S. + Vt. + that Clause):
I hear that he is in Singapore now. 我听说他现在在新加坡。
9. 主语+及物动词+ what (who, whom, which)从句(S. + Vt. + what (who, whom, which) Clause):
I know what his name is. 我知道他的名字。
I know what I must do. 我知道自己必须做什么。
Do you know what answer he made?你知道他是如何回复的?
Do you know who he is? 你知道他是谁吗?
Do you know whom we chose? 你知道我们选了谁?
I cannot see which (which way) is better. 我看不出哪条路更好。
We don’t know which (which way) he took. 我们不知道他走哪条路。
10. 主语+及物动词+ how (when, where, why)从句(S. + Vt. + how (when, where, why) Clause):
I wonder how old that man is. 我想知道那个人多大了。
I know when (where) you were born.我知道你何时(何地)出生。
No one knows why he did such a thing. 没人知道他为什么做了那种事。
11. 主语+及物动词+ if (whether)从句(S. + Vt. + if (whether) Clause):
I wonder if it will rain tomorrow. 我想知道明天是否下雨。
I don’t know whether the news is true or not.我不知道那消息是否真实。
《英语的句型》前一篇文章,请看以下链接:
(未完待续)
(注:摘自钱歌川的《翻译的技巧》)













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