分词的作用一: 状语
关于分词作状语,首先要搞清楚两个核心问题,即分词作状语的结构与意义。所谓结构,即指分词作状语的各种结构形式。比如单个分词作状语,或“名词+分词”这样的分词结构作状语等等。所谓意义,即指分词作状语所能表达的各种逻辑语义关系,比如表示原因、条件或让步等等意义。正确分析和使用分词作状语的关键,是要掌握分词作状语的各种结构,在保证结构正确使用的前提下,再分析分词在具体的句子中所表达的意思。
一 主语一致: 单独的分词(短语)作状语
单独的分词(短语)作状语,即分词恰年没有代名词,而是直接把分词短语放在句首、句中或句末作状语。此时分词短语的逻辑主语必须与句子的主语一致。换句话说,分词的动作应该是有句子的主语发出的。 1 垂悬分词
受汉语思维方式的影响,很多英语初学者往往会造出中文通顺但不符合英文逻辑表达的句子,“垂悬分词”就是其中很重要的一种。比如,中文里说:
等车的时候,一块砖头砸到我头上了
这句话非常通顺。但这句话若按照准问语序直接翻译成英语就会出问题:
Waiting for a bus, a brick fell on my head*
这就话里用了分词waiting,动词waiting必然有一个动作的发出者,或称为分词的逻辑主语。按照英文思维表达规律的要求,后面句子的主语a brick同时要充当分词waiting的逻辑主语。换句话说,分词动作waiting的发出者就是brick。然而,实施山跟着讲不通,因为a brick不可能“等车”。于是,这里的分词waiting找不到自己的逻辑主语了,英文里将这种形式的分词结构叫做“垂悬分词”,这是一种典型的分词误用结构。然而在中文中,“等”的逻辑主语是隐含在语境中的,是“我”在等车。但英文不接受这样的逻辑表达,英文里要求句子的主语必然能够作分词动作的发出者。如果不是,则不能用分词。此时,这句话按我们只好改用来说明waiting动作的执行者,因此可该译成When I was waiting for a bus, a brick fell on my head.
看下列几个典型错误的句子,尽管它们翻译时很通顺
Looking out of the window, there are lots of people in the street. 朝窗外看,发现街上有很多人
When using the computer, the password must be remembered. 用电脑时,要记住密码
Arriving home, the door was found locked. 刚到家,发现门是锁着的
Being a pop fan, Jay Chou is her favorite. 作为一个流行乐迷,周杰伦是她最喜欢的明星。
上面这些句子均因为分词的动作与句子主语不搭配而造成的。 Looking out of the window, I saw lots of people on the street 这里的动作looking是由i发出的,即i是looking的逻辑主语,原句相当于when I looked out of the window, I saw lots of people on the street.
When using the computer, you must remember the password. Arriving at home, I found the door locked. Being a pop fan, she likes Jay Chou most.
2 分词的逻辑主语与句子的主语须一致
分词的动作应该是由分词的动作应该是由句子的主语发出的 There was a mutual attraction between my sister and a trainee working at her office. However, both being shy, they could barely even speak to each other. During an office party, my sister went to the kitchen to get a drink and the trainee followed. Opening the freezer, he took out some ice, placed it on the work surface and began smashing it with a tin of coffee. Smiling, he explained, “I just wanted to break the ice between us.”
这段话里有三个分词作状语,其中both being shy是分词结构,而opening和smiling则是单独的分词作状语,它们和后面的句子主语he都构成逻辑语义搭配。如果改说成Opening the
freezer, some ice was taken out„„则成为“垂悬分析”,致使句子不通顺。
我姐姐和她办公室新来的实习生彼此都互有好感,但是两人由于很害羞,所以几乎没怎么说过话。在一次公司聚会上,我姐姐进了厨房想弄点饮料喝。这时,那个实习生也跟了进去。他打开冰柜,取出一些冰块,把它们放在厨房的操作台上,然后开始用咖啡罐砸这些冰块。他笑着解释道:“我只是想打破我们之间的这些‘坚冰’。”
Dressed up as Father Christmas and accompanied by a “guard of honor” of six pretty girls, he set off down the main street of the city riding a baby elephant called Jumbo.
这句子的主干很短,he ser off down the main street of the city。这里有三个分词短语作状语,前面两个是过去分词Dressed up as Father Christmas 和 accompanied by a “guard of honor” of six pretty girls作方式状语;后一个是现在分词短语riding a baby elephant called Jumbo作伴随状语,修饰谓语动词set off,说明如何“出发”的。这里句子的主语he与动作dress up及accompany构成被动关系,所以要用过去分词dressed up及accompanied;而he与动作ride构成主动关系,所以要用现在分词riding。这样一来,分词的逻辑主语和句子的主语就一致了。
他打扮成圣诞老人,在由留个漂亮姑娘组成的“仪仗队”的陪同
下,其在一头名叫江伯的小象,沿着城里的主要街道出发了。
Good relationships are hard to find and once developed should be nurtured.
这里的过去分词once developed作状语,它的逻辑主语就是句子的主语good relationships,相当于说once good relationships are developed,即分词的逻辑主语与句子的主语是一致的。 知己难觅,一旦建立,应当精心呵护。
二 分词结构(一):“名词+分词”作状语
分词的主语与句子主语不一致时,也就是说,分词动作的执行者和谓语动作的执行者不同,分词有自己的主语。此时,我们就需要采用“名词+分词”这一结构作状语。这里的“名词”就是分词的逻辑主语,以区别于句子的主语。这一结构其实就是我们常说的“主格结构”的一种,叫作“分词结构”。这就类似于动名词的复合结构(my doing)和不定式的复合结构(for sb to do )。
Weather permitting, we’ll be going fishing tomorrow.
这里的分词短语weather permitting被称作“分词结构”,其中分词permitting的逻辑主语是weather,它和句子的主语we不一致,也即分词有了自己的主语。这个分词短语相当
于一个条件状语从句,可以改写成if weather permits,„„ 如果天气允许的话,我们明天就去钓鱼
All the money having been spent, we started looking for work. 这里的分词短语All the money having been spent被称作“分词结构”,其中分词having been spent是分词的完成式。该分词的逻辑主语是all the money,它和句子的主语we不一致,也即分词有了自己的主语。这个分词短语相当于一个时间状语,可以改写成After all the money had been spent,„„ 钱全花光后,我们就开始找工作。
Nobody having any more to say, the meeting was closed 这里的分词短语Nobody having any more to say被称作“分词结构”,其中分词短语having no more to say 的逻辑主语是nobody,它和句子的主语the meeting 不一致,也即分词有了自己的主格。这个分词短语相当于一个原因状语,可以改写成Since nobody had any more to say,„„ 谁都无话可说了,会议就结束了。
The Chinese word for crisis is divided into two characters, one meaning danger and the other meaning opportunity.
这里有两个并列分词one meaning danger和the other meaning
opportunity。期中分词短语meaning danger的逻辑主语是one,指character;另一个分词短语meaning opportunity的逻辑主语是the other。它们和句子主语The Chinese word for crisis不一致,也即分词有了自己的主语。这里的分词短语起补充说明前面句子的作用。
中文中的“危机”分为两字:一个意味着“危险”,另一个意味着“机会”
But for a small group of students, professional training might be the way to go since well developed skills, all other factors being equal, can be the difference between having a job and not. 这里的分词短语all other factors being equal就是一个分词结构,分词本身有自己的逻辑主语all other factors, 分词短语作条件状语
但是对于一小部分学生来说,职业训练也许是可取的道路,因为在其他因素同等的情况下,熟练的技术的确可以在求职方面起到很大的作用。
三 分词结构(二):“with+名词+分词”作状语
这里的分词短语“with+名词+分词”是在上述的分词短语“名词+分词”的基础上变化过来了,这里就是多了一个介词with。之所以如此强调这一结构以至于把它单独拿出来讨论,是因为它作
状语所表达的意义与“名词+分词”这一结构所表达的意义有很大的不同。“with+名词+分词”这一结构作状语,所表达的意义主要有两类:一时表示伴随状况、补充说明。具体举例等,二是表示原因。
London was found to be the least punctual city, with 41%of respondents admitting that they were hardly ever on time, compared with the national average of 28 per cent. Cardiff was the most punctual city where 19.8% stated that they were typically late.
David Holmes, a social psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, said, “Good timekeeping is becoming a forgotten social etiquette, with a new generation considering lateness the norm rather than a faux pas that should be avoided.”
“Mobile phones have broken many social taboos, with people answering calls in the middle of a conversation or chatting away on the toilet. This again demonstrates the effect modern technology has on our behavior.”
调查显示,伦敦是最不守时的城市,有41%的受访者承认他们历来很少准时,而在全英国,这样的人占28%。卡迪夫是最守时的城市,只有19.8%的受访者说他们总是迟到。
1 表示补充说明等
When asked, “Do you consider yourself an optimistic or pessimistic person?” 53% of the students replied “optimistic”, with 21% choosing “pessimistic”, and 26% “unsure”.
这句话的主句部分是说明“认为自己乐观”的人数,通过分词结构with 21% choosing “pessimistic”, and 26% “unsure”来补充说明剩下人的选择
当被问到“你觉得自己是乐观的人还是悲观的人”时,53%的学生回答了“乐观”,二有21%的人选择了“悲观”,剩下26%的人则回答“不确定”。
With more than 3 million hardcover copies sold in its first two years of publication, WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? has become an amazing best-seller, topping the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Week and USA Today list
《谁动了我的奶酪?》一书精装本在出版后的头两年里,共出售了三百多万本,成为了炙手可热的畅销书,雄踞《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《商业周刊》以及《今日美国》的排行榜榜首
2表示原因
Good timekeeping is becoming a forgotten social etiquette, with generation considering lateness the norm rather than a faux pas that should be avoided.
这句话主句部分Good timekeeping is becoming a forgotten social etiquette(良好的守时习惯正在成为被遗忘的社会礼节)是得出一个结论,然后采用分词结构with generation considering lateness the norm rather than a faux pas that should be avoided.来表示得出此结论的原因,即“新的一代人都认为迟到很正常,并不是失礼行为而应该避免”。
良好的守时习惯正在成为被遗忘的社交礼节,因为新的一代都认为迟到很正常,不是应该避免的失礼行为。
固定结构 副词+speaking
Generally speaking, men are stronger than women.= If we are to speak generally, men are stronger than woman. Strictly speaking, this is not a right answer.
分词+介词
Judging from his expression, he is in a lousy mood. 从他的面部表情判断,他情绪不好哦
Allowing for her inexperience, she has done a good job. 考虑到她缺乏经验,她能做成这样子已经是不错了。 Talking of English, she is the best speaker. 说到英语,她的口语最好。
Taking everything into consideration, they ought to win this game.
把所有的因素考虑在内,他们应该赢得这场比赛。
分词+(that)从句
Seeing that she has no experience, she has done a good job. 考虑到她缺乏经验,她能做成这样子已经很不错了。
Considering how far from perfect most human brain are, there isn’t much threat from a computer. 既然人脑都不够完美,那何惧电脑的威胁 Supposing there was a war, what would you do? 假如发生了战争,你会怎么办?
Granting that he has made a mistake, he is not to blame, for he intended to help us.
他尽管反了错误,也不应该受到责备,因为他本打算帮助我们
Seeing that =since 既然 Considering that= since既然 Supposing that= if假如 Granting that=though 尽管 Allowing that 考虑到