形容词转换成动词不如名词转换成动词多。由形容词转换而来的动词在语义上较为简单,也就是说,他们既可以作及物动词,意为“使成为......",也可作不及物动词,意为”使得......",如:
He walked carefully so as not to wet his shoes.
他走路很小心,为了不把鞋子弄湿了。
The photograph yellowed with age.
时间长了,照片发黄了。
在第一个句子中,wet用作“使变为......湿的”的及物动词,因为该句能被释义为He walked carefully so as not to make his shoes wet.第二个句子中yellow未带宾语,显然是用作不及物动词,意为“变得发黄”,因而此句可被释义为The photograph became yellow with age.大多数形容词转变过来的动词兼有及物和不及两种功能,如:
Two men carrying a wooden keg emptied its contents into the opening.
两个人抬着一只木桶,把里面东西倒入洞里。
The play was over and the auditorium began to empty.
剧演完了,礼堂的人开始散去。
类似的动词还有:dim, dirty, warm, cool,show, dear, dry, narrow等。
只作及物动词的有:still, forward, free, bare, blind等。只作不及物动词的到目前只有几个,如sour,slim等。
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