當?shù)谝谎劭吹骄渥覶hey have no place to stay時,許多老師與同學(xué)會說,該句應(yīng)該在動詞stay后加上介詞at。那么,究竟應(yīng)不應(yīng)該在stay后加介詞at呢?我們先別急于下定論,分析一下不定式作定語的情形后再做論斷也不遲。
一、主謂關(guān)系,即被修飾詞是不定式結(jié)構(gòu)的邏輯主語
例如:
1). He was the first to arrive that morning (= who arrived).
2). Do you have any medicine to cure my bad cold?(= which/ that can cure my bad cold)
二、動狀關(guān)系,即被修飾詞可轉(zhuǎn)換為不定式的邏輯狀語
能與作定語的不定式構(gòu)成動狀關(guān)系的詞常是表示方式、方法和時機的名詞,如:way,means,chance,occasion,opportunity,time等。例如:
1). This is the best way to learn English. (learn English in this way)
2). We need a moment to rest. (rest for a moment)
三、同位關(guān)系,即不定式結(jié)構(gòu)是被修飾詞的同位語
如:
1).The boy had an impulse to jump over the fence.
2). Neither of them had any inclination to spend the holiday abroad.
在上述三種邏輯關(guān)系中,當不定式與被修飾詞是主謂關(guān)系時,不定式均用主動語態(tài);當不定式與被修飾詞是動狀及同位關(guān)系時,根據(jù)其具體意義來選擇不定式的語態(tài)形式,即:主動意義用主動語態(tài),被動意義用被動語態(tài)。
四、動賓關(guān)系,即被修飾詞是不定式結(jié)構(gòu)的邏輯賓語
這時,不定式在語態(tài)使用等方面大體上可分為以下幾種情形:
1.當句中無法找到不定式動作的發(fā)出者(或執(zhí)行者)時,通常用被動語態(tài)形式。如:
1). The building to be built next month is their dormitory.
2). She was one of the first women to be admitted to that college.
2.句中雖然沒有不定式動作的發(fā)出者或執(zhí)行者,但在更多考慮做動作的人(其邏輯主語多半是說話者)時,多用主動形式;若側(cè)重考慮動作本身則多用被動形式。如:
1). Please give me a list of the people to invite. (for me/us to invite )
2). Please give me a list of the people to be invited. (Its not clear who will invite the people.)
3. 如果不定式所表示的動作是由句中主語或介詞for的賓語所發(fā)出的,不定式要用主動。例如:1). I want to get something to read during the vacation. 2). There is nothing for you to do now.
4.不定式作“有”動詞have的賓語的定語,如果動作是由主語發(fā)出的,不定式用主動;如果動作不是句子的主語發(fā)出的,則用被動結(jié)構(gòu)。如:
1). I have no documents to type. (… that I need to type);
2). Im going to Beijing next week. Do you have anything to be taken there for your father? (注意:在例2中,不可將不定式的被動形式改為主動結(jié)構(gòu))
5.在被修飾詞與不定式中間插有表示否定意義的副詞時,只能用被動。如:
1). This seemed a rule never to be broken.
2). He is a diligent boy rarely to be seen without a book.
6.如果不定式是一個不及物動詞,其后需加一適當介詞。如:
1). He is looking for a room to live in.
2). Please give me a piece of paper to write on.
在這種情況下,還可以把介詞提前,轉(zhuǎn)換為“介詞+which+不定式”的形式作定語。如例1)可轉(zhuǎn)換為He is looking for a room in which to live.
尤其是不定式有賓語(這時動詞為及物動詞)及狀語,然后再加介詞,這時多采用“介詞+which+不定式短語”作定語。如Mary only has twenty dollars with which to buy her husband, John, a birthday present.
五、討論
通過上述7可知,不定式在與被修飾詞有動賓關(guān)系時,如果不定式是不及物動詞,則其后需加一適當介詞。那么,所有不及物動詞后均需加上適當介詞嗎?下面以名詞place為例進行討論:
通過對英國國家語料庫的檢索發(fā)現(xiàn),在名詞place后面跟含有不及物動詞的不定式作定語主要有以下這些情況:
第一、place后跟to stay作定語,在語料庫中共搜索出51例,to stay后均沒有加介詞。部分示例如下:
…of you to find me a place to stay, but you must let me give you the money.…
…no money, no place to stay…Ive nothing. She controls everything. “Both….
第二、place后跟to go作定語,共搜索出87例,有8例在to go后加了介詞to。部分示例如下:
…, its quite an expensive place to go to, but it would be well worth it, as it …
…at Ruxley, Ruxley is not a good place to go. Oh theres some smashing things…
第三、place后跟to hide作定語,共搜索出21例,只有1例在to hide后加了介詞in。語料庫中的部分示例如下:
…skull yet) and then had to find a place to hide the dead leaves and twigs that had…
…that time. It was like a place to hide in, a great strong haven holding her…
第四、place后跟to live作定語,共搜索出114例,有27例在to live后加了介詞in。部分示例如下:
…discovered that a chromosome is a good place to live if you want to get…
...Tenant? If you rent a place to live in rather to work in, or to run a business…
第五、place后跟to rest作定語,共搜索出12例,有2例在to rest后加了介詞in。主要示例如下:
…on three sides, it was a good place to rest, but a poor place to fight. ...
…known and accustomed houses, finding no place to rest in. Mores eloquence…
…set back from the front to give you a place to rest your hands. Its nice to use…
綜上所述,當作定語的不定式結(jié)構(gòu)與被修飾詞是動賓關(guān)系時, 作定語的動詞不定式無論是在語態(tài)還是在其它方面確實顯得較為復(fù)雜,因為,語言不是靜態(tài)的,隨著社會及文化的發(fā)展,語言也在不斷的發(fā)展與變化之中。因此,在這種情況下,不定式到底用主動語態(tài)還是被動形式不能一概而論,同樣,我們也不能因為有“當作定語的不定式結(jié)構(gòu)與被修飾詞是動賓關(guān)系時,如果不定式是不及物動詞,其后需要加上一個適當?shù)慕樵~”這樣一條規(guī)則,而誤以為所有的不及物動詞如果后面不加介詞都是錯誤的。
參考文獻:
[1]薄冰.高級英語語法[M].北京:高等教育出版社,1991.
[2]張道真.實用英語語法[M].北京:商務(wù)印書館,1995.
【作者簡介】孫艷玲,商丘師范學(xué)院外語學(xué)院。