語法即語句結(jié)構(gòu)法,對語言規(guī)律的專門研究,稱為語法學(xué),語法學(xué)是研究、描寫、解釋語法結(jié)構(gòu)規(guī)律的科學(xué),是對客觀存在著的語法系統(tǒng)的認(rèn)識和說明。對于語法的學(xué)習(xí),由于覺得其“枯燥乏味”,不少學(xué)生對語法有著不同程度的畏懼甚至抵觸心理,句式結(jié)構(gòu)是語法的一個重要方面,培養(yǎng)學(xué)生對句式結(jié)構(gòu)的語法認(rèn)知能力,對提高造句能力的作用不言而喻。本文選取了句式結(jié)構(gòu)的若干方面作一簡述,希望對同學(xué)們有所啟發(fā)。
一、句子成分
英語的句子成分主要有主語、謂語、賓語、定語、狀語、補語、同位語和獨立成分。同一句子成分可以有不同的語法形式,以定語為例,限定詞、形容詞、名詞、副詞、分詞、介詞短語、從句均可充當(dāng)這一成分;反之,同一形式亦可充當(dāng)不同的句子成分,例如,that的多種功能表現(xiàn)在國外語法家編造的兩個古怪句子中:
I said that that “that” that that man wrote in the sentence was wrong.(H.E.Palmer)
上句中,5個that依次為連詞、限定詞、所引原文中該詞、關(guān)系代詞、限定詞。該句翻譯為:我說,那個人在那句里所用的那個that是用錯了。
My Lords! - says he with humble submission - THAT that l say is this: that THAT that thatgentleman has advanced, is not THAT, that he should have proved to your Lordships.( Brewer)
上句中,3個that引導(dǎo)的定語從句各限定詞前的代詞THAT,當(dāng)中重復(fù)4次的that THAT that that(gentleman...)中,第1個和第4個是限定詞,分別限定THAT和gentleman,第3個是關(guān)系代詞;全句相當(dāng)于:…the point that l make is this: that“THAT”which that gentleman advanced is not themain thing that he should have proved to your Lordships. 該句翻譯為:各位大人,他恭恭敬敬地說,我要說的是:那位先生所提出來的那個,并非他本應(yīng)向各位大人證明的那個事情。
二、句尾重心
從結(jié)構(gòu)上看,主語作為信息傳遞的出發(fā)點,在結(jié)構(gòu)上通常較短、較簡單,而謂語作為信息傳遞的著重點,通常較長、較復(fù)雜,這種句構(gòu)特征叫做“句尾重心”。根據(jù)這一原則,為了保持句子的平衡,就要避免句子顯得“頭輕腳重”,根據(jù)相關(guān)的語法規(guī)則將較長、較復(fù)雜的成分置于句尾。例如:
The days are gone when physica/strength was all you needed幻make a/iving.那種僅靠體力勞動就可謀生的日子已經(jīng)不存在了。(定語從句后置)
Word came that our basketba/l team won again.消息傳來,說我們的籃球隊又贏了。(同位語從句后置)
It is known to all that practice makes perfect.眾所周知,熟能生巧。(主語從句后置)
He doesnt want it to be known that he is going away.他不想讓大家知道他要走了。 (賓語從句后置)
He makes it a rule never to borrow money.他的規(guī)矩是從不向人借錢。(動詞不定式后置)
From the Middle East have radiated the sparks of the world civilizations which have been ablessing to humanity.造福人類的世界文明,正是從中東放射出它的光芒來的。(全句為倒裝句,主語部分包含一個定語從句)
三,謂語動詞的連接
在一個完整的分句之中,謂語動詞是必不可少的成分。同層級的分句之內(nèi),兩個謂語動詞是不能直接并列的,中間必須要用并列連詞來連接,或?qū)⑵渲幸粋€改為非謂語動詞。例如:
He went bought a book yesterday.
(×)
He went and bought a book yesterday.
(√)
He went to buy a book yesterday.
(√)
同一分句中的動詞的連接要如此,兩個獨立分句的連接也是一樣。以“Tom is ill”和“Tomneeds rest.”為例,這兩個獨立分句的連接有以下途徑:
用句號連接:Tom is ill. Tom needs rest.
用分號連接:Tom is ill:he needs rest.
用并列連詞連接:Tom is…,and/so he needs rest.
用從屬連詞連接:Tom needs rest because he is ill.
用非謂語動詞:Being ill,Tom needs rest.
四.非謂語動詞的使用
若句中已有謂語動詞,又不是并列謂語時,那另一動詞則須用非謂語形式。此時就要確定是用過去分詞、動名詞還是用動詞不定式。例如:
You can walk on the Glass Floor and eat at the 3600 Restaurant, _____ (enjoy) the viewof the whole city.
解析:此題連同待填詞共有3個動詞,其中前面兩個是謂語動詞,并且之間已有連詞連接,所以此處填的應(yīng)是一個非謂語動詞,而主語you與enjoy之間是主動關(guān)系,故用現(xiàn)在分詞作伴隨狀語,答案為enjoying。
_____ (wait) in the queue for half an hour, Tom suddenly realized that he had left hiswallet at home.
解析:現(xiàn)在分詞用作時間狀語,但“等待”發(fā)生在“意識到”之前,而且兩者之間有一定的時間間隔,所以此處要填現(xiàn)在分詞的完成式Having waited。
I sometimes order products or service online to save money and time instead of going to astore and _____ (buy) what Im looking for.
解析:介詞后面一般接動名詞,而且空格處所填動詞要與going并列,故答案為buying。
The news reporters hurried to the airport, only _____ (tell) the film stars had left.
解析:此處的hurried和所給的提示動詞之間沒有任何連詞,所以空格處應(yīng)填非謂語動詞,又因為tell與主語reporters之間為動賓關(guān)系,且表示的是一個意料之外的結(jié)果,所以應(yīng)填to be told。
五.話題引入語的運用
在口頭交際或書面寫作中,常會用到某些具有話題引入作用的短語或句型,以便順利過渡到將要談及的話題,從而增強前后內(nèi)容的銜接性與連貫性。話題引入語的出現(xiàn)是必要的,它能提醒受話者轉(zhuǎn)移注意力,使受話者對即將談?wù)摰脑掝}產(chǎn)生心理預(yù)期。這類話題引入語一般翻譯為“談到、說起、回到”,話題被引入后,說話者會就這一話題陳述某種客觀事實或發(fā)表個人看法。例如:
Coming to his studies, what would you suggest?談到他的學(xué)習(xí),你有什么建議?
Talking/Speaking of bikes, have you seen the latest type?說起自行車,你見過最新的那款嗎?
Getting back to the environmental issues mentioned in the first paragraph of this article, thereis no denying that the importance of environmental protection can never be overstated.回到這篇文章第一段提到的環(huán)境問題,不可否認(rèn),環(huán)保的重要性怎么強調(diào)也不為過。
While we are on the subject of money, what about the $50 l lent you? 既然我們談到了錢的問題,我借給你的那50元怎么辦?
Joe is not good at sports, but when it comes (down)to mathematics, he is the best in theclass.喬在體育方面不行,但說到數(shù)學(xué),他是全班最好的。
需要說明的是,上文中作狀語的coming to、talking/speaking of和getting back to均為用作獨立成分的非謂語動詞,并且屬于可以接受的垂懸分詞,其邏輯主語一般就是互知的會話雙方,所以并不需要遵循“非謂語動詞作狀語時,其邏輯主語通常應(yīng)與句子主語保持一致”的一般性規(guī)則。
六、一句多譯
簡單地說,一句多譯就是用不同的詞語和句式結(jié)構(gòu)表達同一個意思,其前提是對詞匯和語法結(jié)構(gòu)具備一定的認(rèn)知與運用能力。強化一句多譯意識的訓(xùn)練,有助于培養(yǎng)句式轉(zhuǎn)換能力和造句能力。例如,對于“羅馬城發(fā)生過許多重大的歷史性事件”的英語表達,可有以下兩種:
Many great historic events happened in Rome.
Rome witnessed many great historic events.
第一種將“事件”作主語,“羅馬城”作狀語,是常規(guī)表達;第二種將“羅馬城”作主語,“事件”作賓語,二者之間以動詞witness連接,表達效果更優(yōu)。再如,表達“她因生病未能參加語言學(xué)學(xué)術(shù)會議”時,可有下面四種:
Because she was ill,she did not attend the conference on linguistics.
Because of her illness, she did not attend the conference on linguistics.
Her illness prevented her from attending the conference on linguistics.
Her illness accounted for her absence from the conference on linguistics.
上面四種翻譯中,句式結(jié)構(gòu)從復(fù)合句變?yōu)楹唵尉洌髡Z由具體的人(she)變?yōu)槌橄蟾拍睿╥llness),但不變的是這四種翻譯均體現(xiàn)了“生病”與“未能參會”之間的因果關(guān)系,所以翻譯句子時,關(guān)鍵是要把握句子內(nèi)部各要素之間的核心邏輯聯(lián)系,進而在此基礎(chǔ)上尋求句式結(jié)構(gòu)的多樣化。