文法淺釋 (9)

文法淺釋系列 (9)

文法(grammar)與句型(sentence patterns)

23) 兩個表示連續或相對的名詞用and或or連接，都不加冠詞：

The athletic meet will begin at nine tomorrow rain or shine.  (不論晴雨，運動會明天九點舉行。)

rain or shine = whether it be rain or shine ，屬相對名詞片語。另例 ：        

Be it friend or foe, detect it closely. 無論是敵是友，都要仔細偵查。(No matter whether it is friend or foe….) foe = enemy，因friend與foe皆為單音節名詞，說起來比較有力(more emphatic)

The priest says, “now I pronounce that you become man(husband) and wife” 牧師說，『我正式宣佈你們是夫婦』。

*The king and queen are coming to this country on a state visit. 國王與皇后正在本國做國是訪間。(The 不可省略)

Father and son are riding a donkey to the market. 父子騎驢上市塲。The prisoner was bound hand and feet. (囚犯手脚被綁)

I cannot make head or tail of the matter. 我對此事完全不明白。(此慣用語必須用否定。對某事無法分出頭尾，約等於台語的『霧煞煞』。以前提過head 的相對字為toe，但只用在from head to toe從頭到脚-全身上下)

但，ladies and gentlemen

We are interested in how Kaddafi went from foe to ally.  我們對敘利亞獨裁者-格達費(已被殺)如何從敵人變成盟友感興趣。

另外用or連結的兩個相對意義的形容詞，亦可免加冠詞：

rich or poor = (whether they are) rich or poor people 無論貧富                  

young or old = (whether they are) young or old people無論老少

male or female 不論男女，boy or girl

dead or alive 不論死活

The President commanded the leaker should be caught dead or alive. 總統下令這位爆料人必須逮捕，生死不論。

living or dead 不論生存者或已故者

This incident will be kept as a fresh memory among living or dead. 不論生存者或已故者，將永遠記住此事件。

gay or straight不論是否同性戀者 (straight a. 直接的，無同性戀傾向的人) 但,

The long and the short of it is you screwed it up. 總之，你把事情搞砸了。(the long and the short = summary總結；screw up把事情弄得一團糟)

24)及物動詞及其受詞若屬同一字、或同一字義、或相同字源，其受詞謂之同系受詞  (cognate

 object)。例

He dreamed an impossible dream of landing at Mars. (他作了一個登陸在火星上的不可能的夢。) 

他例：smile a smile 笑一笑；laugh a hearty laugh開懷大笑；sigh a sigh嘆口氣；run a race 賽跑；比較：run a risk 冒險；~ a business 經營生意；run an errand 做一件小差事 。live a life 過日子，但，make (earn) a living 謀生

另，die 原作vi，但接同系受詞則成vt：

~ a natural death；壽終正寢；~ an accidental death 意外身亡(死於非命)；~ a heroic death 壯烈犧牲。

但，He died a martyr. 他成仁了。=He was a martyr(烈士) when he died.

《He nods consent》他點頭同意 。

【Obama can look daggers at any questioner who asks him to raise his hand or demands a yes/no question, or can simply seem amused and incredulous. 】(daggers n. 匕首；incredulous a. 疑心重的)

歐巴馬會對任何要他舉手、或要求肯定答復問題的質問者怒目而視；或可能單純地裝出高興或不輕信的樣子。

25)

1. 擬人化名詞若具“陽剛性”或“粗爌性” 用陽性 (masculine) 表示：如the sun, summer, winter,

the ocean, War：

The sun drove away the clouds with his powerful rays. 太陽用他強力的陽光驅走烏雲 。

Death will come when he is least expected. (死神總是在我們最沒有想到的時刻來到。)

【註】：S. + will + V：有時表示「某件事是”無可避免”」故原句含：It is inevitable that death comes when he is least expected. 另例：Accidents will happen. (再如何小心) 總會發生意外。

2. 若是表示“溫柔性”則視為陰性：如

the moon, the earth, spring, virtue (美德), peace, Nature (大自然)

 Let Peace forever hold her sway. 讓和平女神永遠主宰我們 。

26) 數目字的表示有時用阿拉伯字，有時用英文：

a. All of his books were lying at sixes and sevens. (他所有的書很零亂地放置著。中文用亂七八糟。)

at sixes and sevens = in confusion = in chaos 零亂地

但，There are three 5’s in the amount.此數目有三個5。

b. Students were leaving the room by twos and threes. 學生們 三三兩兩地離開房間。

c. People in hundreds are swarming to join the protest. 成百上千的人群蜂擁加入抗議行列。

d. Nine out of ten (=It is very likely), he will show up. 十之八九(很可能)他會來。

Justin Lai, 06/24/2013

jlai77168@gmail.com