在上文介绍了英文的第四种句型的授予构造后,本文详细解说第五种句型的不完全他动构造——主语+谓语+宾语+补语(Subject + Predicate + Object + Complement)。在第五种句型中,动词是不完全及物动词,因此,即使后面加上了宾语,依然不能使整个句子的意念完全,必须要再加上补语才行。例如:
He made his parents happy. 他使父母快乐。
在第五种句型中的不完全及物动词又被称为使役动词(Factitive Verb),Factitive意为making,因为它是有所作为的,它能使人做什么,使人变得怎样。例如:“人们选举他为市长”,就是使他做市长。“儿子使父母快乐”,就是使父母变得快乐。“我们叫他傻瓜”,就是使他成为傻瓜。诸如此类,都是表示作为、使成、变得等的意思。在这些动词之后的宾语,都含有被动的意思,这就是“作为”的结果。使动是可以包括在被动中的。例句总结如下:
We named him John. (= He was named John.)
They call him Jack. (= He is usually called Jack.)
They appointed him governor. (= He was appointed governor. )
They elected Washington president. (= Washington was elected president. )
They crowned William king. (= William was crowned king. )
宾语补语和主语宾语一样,也可被分为两大类:名词及其同等语(Noun-Element),及形容词及其同等语(Adjective-Element)。具体可被分为以下九项:
1.名词:They appointed Nelsonadmiral.他们任命纳尔逊为上将。
2.代词:I believed ithim. 我相信那是他干的。
注:I believed it (to be) him. 中的to be him为 believed 的宾语补足语,而him又是be的补语,用的是宾格。其被动语态It was believed to be he.中的to be he,是was believed的主语补语,而he又是be的补语,用的是主格。
3.形容词:He painted the housegreen. 他把房子漆成绿色。
4.副词:What time do you expect herback?你预计她何时回来?
5.不定式:I have always found him to be atrue friend. 我一直认为他是个真朋友。
6.现在分词:I kept himwaiting.我让他等着。
7.动名词:We call such a way of life “eating the bread of idleness”. 我们把这种生活方式称为“游手好闲”。
8.短语:I found everythingin good condition. 我发现一切都好。
9.从句:We have made himwhat he is. 我们造就了他。
常用的使役动词为:make, elect, think, have, keep, find, leave, create, show, appoint, name, suppose, call, prove, believe, imagine等。某些形容词或名词的前后加“en”时,也可以成为使役动词。如:
To enable = to make able
To enfeeble = to make feeble
To weaken = to make weak
To strengthen = to make strong
To lengthen = to make longer
To shorten = to make shorter
To widen = to make wider
To harden = to make hard
To soften = to make soft
To broaden = to make broad or broader
Find, think, show, prove等使役动词,实际上原来是不定式构造,但是省略了to be,即:
We supposed him (to be) dead. 我们假设他死了。
We found him (to be) alive. 我们发现他还活着。
You must show yourself (to be) a gentleman. 你必须显示自己是一名绅士。
He has proved himself (to be) worthy of confidence. 他业已证明自己是值得信任的。
在上面的句型中,有时因为声调的关系,常常要在宾语的地位上用“it”来代替不定式,而将不定式移到其他地方去,因为to be作宾语有些拗口,这时应加上一个代名词的“it”进去,才合乎惯用的语法。例如:我觉得这么做是我的义务,这句话如果翻成I think to do so my duty.则不顺口,而应改为:I think it my duty to do so.又例如:我认为那个要实行很难,这句话翻成I found to put it in practice very difficult不顺口,要改为I found it very difficult to put it in practice.这样才符合英文的惯用法。
英文中的同一个及物动词,可以是完全及物动词,也可以是不完全及物动词。请看下面的例句:
(a) I found the book easily. 这句里的found是完全及物动词,全句意为:很容易找到了那本书。
(b) I found the book easy. 这句里的found是不完全及物动词,后面要加补语,全句意为:我觉得这本书读起来很容易。
(a) I believed the untrue report. (完全及物动词)我信了那个假报告。
(b) I believed the report untrue. (不完全及物动词)我相信那个报告是不真实的。
(a) I make a point of siding with the weaker party. (完全及物动词)我坚持站在弱者一边。
(b) I make it a rule to side with the weaker party. (不完全及物动词)我把站在弱者一边作为常规。
(a) I made a workbox out of it.(完全及物动词)我用它做了一个工具箱。
(b) I made it into a workbox.(不完全及物动词)我把它做成了一个工具箱。
英文还可以说这样的妙语:She made him a good husband because she made him a good wife.(因为她成为他的好妻子,所以也把他培养成了好丈夫)前面的made是使役动词,后面的made是授予动词。
使役动词具体还可以被分为以下几类:
1. 认识动词,即有心灵感觉(perception)的动词,其宾语补足语主要是表示性质的,如think, consider, call, believe, imagine, find, prove等。在宾格与补语之间,有时可以加上“to be”。例如:
I have always thought him honest. 我一直认为他是诚实的。
The troops found it almost impossible to march in the great heat. 军队觉得在酷热下进军几乎是不可能的。
When he leaves school and enters the world, the boy is not disposed to consider rule absurd and authority ridiculous. 那孩子毕业后踏上社会时,并不认为统治是荒诞的,权威是可笑的。
Vicious he could assuredly not be, but one easily imagined him weak in character. 他确实不是邪恶的,不过人们易于想象他的性格是柔弱的。
Such a form of pastime seems to prove him sincere. 从那种娱乐的形式看来,好像可以判明他的诚实。
2. 感觉动词,即有身体感觉(physical perception)的动词,如see, hear, feel, want, wish, like, hold, keep, leave, have, wear等。例如:
Now I feel my life unspeakably empty. 现在我觉得我的生活有说不出的空虚。
They all want me dead, and are hankering for my money. (Thackeray, Vanity Fair) 他们都指望我司,想得到我的钱。(萨克雷:《名利场》)
She replied that she was quite contented and wished nothing different. 她回答说她完全满足于现状,不再希望别的什么。
She wore her hair loose. 她披头散发。
The news left me vaguely uneasy. 那消息使我隐约感到不安。
She had her eyes examined by the doctor. 她请医生替她检查了眼睛。
《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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