初中英语语法与修辞运用之我见
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作者: 孟杰
修辞的另一条重要原则是要求表意明确,而不是模棱两可。一句话如果既可作这样解释,又可作那样解释,这就叫做歧义。引起歧义的原因是多种多样。其中重要的一种是句子成分之间的关系不明确,特别是照应关系、修饰关系、比较关系不明确往往引起歧义。照应必须有被照应的对象,修饰也必有被修饰的对象,如果这些关系搞不清,意思就含糊不明。因此,关系明确是避免歧义的重要方法。
一、处理好照应关系
英语中代词照应是照应关系中最重要的。处理好照应关系是理解篇章的最基本的前提。如:
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen that for a job.
在这里第二个that所指不明,不论是指doctor, 还是指my grandfather was doctor, 在本句中都讲不明。因此在这个句中,have chosen 的宾语以不用代词为宜:
Since my grandfather was a doctor, it is not surprising that I have chosen medicine for my job.
再如:
The players and umpires (裁判)know one another well and sometimes they call them by their first names.
这个并列句后半部的they, them, their含义不明。如果是运动员对他们认识的裁判员有时直呼其名,可以说:
Players who know umpires well sometimes call them by their first names.
如果是裁判员对他们认识的运动员有时直呼其名,那就说:
Knowing the players well, the umpires sometimes call them by their first names.
二、处理好修饰关系
关于名词修饰语和状语(特别是副词)的位置问题,这里再从修辞角度作一些补充。
状语的位置如果处理不当往往会引起歧义。如:
I have followed the advice sincerely given by the teacher.
The woman scolded the boy for playing with fire bitterly.
上述诸句中,sincerely, bitterly 叫“偏斜修饰语”,因为它们在句中位置不正,以致sincerely既可理解为修饰followed, 也可理解为修饰given;bitterly 本应修饰scolded,但在句中却好象在修饰playing,从而产生了歧义。这些修饰语的位置应作如下调整:
I have sincerely followed the advice given by the teacher.
The woman bitterly scolded the boy for playing with matches.
再如:
He sent us the full story of his rescue from Lake of the Ozarks(美国奥沙克湖).
在这里from Lake of the Ozarks既可理解为修饰sent,也可理解修饰his rescue。根据“靠近”的原则,可将该句调整如下:
He sent us from the Ozarks the full story of his rescue.
三、避免中途改变语态或主语
在主动结构和被动结构的使用上,一般修辞原则是要保持前后一致。如果中途改变语态,则往往意义不明。如:
He left the examination after his answer had been checked.
这句话,主句用了主动结构,从句忽然改为被动结构,这样一来,到底是谁“核对子答案”便不明确了。要改进这个句子,最好把前后的动词语态一致起来,从而主语也一致了:
He left the exmination after he had checked his answer.
再如:
As the guests entered the church, proper seats were arranged by the ushers leading them.(迎客的人).
这句话的毛病是中途改变主语,以致“座位指定给谁”,含义不明。应将前后主语一致起来,尽管语态有变,但不影响意义:
As the guests entered the church, they were led to the proper seats by the ushers.
四、处理好比较关系
比较关系也是一种修饰关系。比较结构如果不完整或不确切也会引出歧义。请观察:
He is as tall, if not taller, than his brother.
在这句话中,比较结构不完全,因为不可能说He is as tall than his brother, 而只能说as tall as his brother。 所以这句话应该调整为:
He is as tall as his brother, if not taller.
或调整为:
He is as tall, if not taller , as his brother.
再如:
Leonardo had one of the greatest, if not the greatest minds of all times.
这个最高级结构也是不完全的,从而非常费解,因为在这里有两个名词词组“one of the greatest minds”和“the greatest mind”。应补足为:
Leonardo had one of the greatest minds, if not the greatest mind, of all times.
有时,比较结构不完全,导致表意不合逻辑。如:
Her salary was lower than a typist.
怎么会一个人的薪水比打字员低呢?应该说成:
Her salary was lower than that of a typist.
或者:Her salary was lower than a typist’s.
再如:
The food here costs no more than any other resaurant.
这句话从字面上看可以理解为The food here costs no more than any other restaurant costs, 这样以来,就变成拿食品价格和其它饭店的相比了,显然不合逻辑。应该拿这里的食品价格和任何其它饭店的食品相比:
The food here costs no more than (it does) at any other restaurant.
由上述诸例可以看出,在使用比较结构时,必须把被比较的对象明确起来。如果被比较的对象不明确,那就意义含糊。如:
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona.
这句话的意思很含糊。到底是Claremont 距离Los Angeles 比Pomona 距离Los Angeles 远呢?还是Claremont距离Los Angeles 比Claremont距离Pomona远呢?如果是前一种意思,应该说成:Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than Pomona is.
如果是后一种意思,则应该说:
Claremont is farther from Los Angeles than it is from Pomona.
有时,在比较结构中使用than any…不当,其表意不合逻辑。如: For many years the Empire State building was taller than any building in New York.
这句话不合逻辑,因为Empire State Building 坐落在纽约市。它怎能和包括它自己在内的纽约市建筑物相比呢?处理这类问题,只要在any之后加个other就可以了:
From many years the Empire State Building was taller than any other building in New York.
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