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简述特殊结构的定语从句

2017-11-22姜雪松陈曦

科教导刊·电子版 2017年28期
关键词:定语从句

姜雪松 陈曦

摘 要 笔者简要介绍英语中特殊结构的定语从句,望有助于读者的英语学习。

关键词 先行词 定语从句 特殊结构

中图分类号:H315.9 文献标识码:A

定语从句,在英语教学过程中可以说是最难把握的一类,其难点主要在于英语中的定语从句既不同于英语中普通的定语,更不同于汉语中的定语,很多学生在学习时分不清先行词,不能正确使用关系代词、关系副词,不能正确理解定语从句中的一些特殊表达。因此在学习定语从句时,务必理清定语从句的概念,进而正确选择并使用关系词。

定语从句在实际运用的过程中,具有较强的灵活性,因此其结构也较为复杂,现将常见的特殊结构定语从句列举如下:

1分隔式定语从句

定语从句一般紧跟被它所修饰的先行词,但有时它与先行词之间可能插入其他成分,使它同先行词分隔开来,这种定语从句称作分隔式定语从句。在阅读英语文章时会经常遇到这种为了某种特殊的需要而与先行词分离开的定语从句,要注意识别该种从句所修饰的对象。

一般说来,定语从句被分割开来大致有以下三种情况:

1.1在先行词与定语从句之间插入一个状语

There are many thousands of stars in the sky that are like the sun. (that引导的定语从句在名词的后面,但不修饰sky而修饰stars)

分隔式定语从句有时亦可置于状语从句之后,如:

You can leave a message if you like that can be given her when she gets done her work.(that从句置于状语从句if you like之后,与其所修饰的名词message分开)

下面一句中的分隔式定语从句则置于“介词短语+状语从句”之后,如:

There was a deference about his manner when he addressed her that was new.(that从句置于about his manner when he addressed her之后,与其所修饰的名词deference分开。这里that从句置于句末有被强调的含意)

1.2在先行词与定语从句之间插入一个定语

Do you remember one afternoon ten years ago when I came to your house and borrowed a diamond necklace? (定语从句修饰afternoon而不是修饰years)

分隔式定语从句有时亦可置于后置定语之后,如:

Something unexpected has happened which prevents me from keeping my promise.

此句中的which从句即亦置于后置定语unexpected之后。

1.3先行词与定语从句被谓语分隔开来

The story said that frogs were being found whose skin was like paper.

此时,先行词通常是句子的主语,因定语从句较长,主句谓语较短,为使句子平衡,而常将定语从句移至谓语之后。分隔式定语从句一般不可直接放在其所修饰的名代词之后,就以上句为例,若将whose从句移至其所修饰的名词frogs之后,则全句会显得头重脚轻,失去了平衡。因此,分隔式定语从句常置于谓语之后,句中的whose从句即被置于谓语之后。

2混杂式定语从句

有时定语从句的关系词与从句中的句子成分之间会插入“人称代词+think/believe/guess/expect等”表示猜测等的结构,而使定语从句更加复杂,该种定语从句称为混杂式定语从句。

Many college students have mastered computer skills, driving and foreign languages, which we all know are the most important things in today's society.

3多重定语从句

两個或多个定语从句同时修饰一个先行词时,这种定语从句被称作多重定语从句。

He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears.

多重定语从句中第二个以及之后的所有关系词都不可省略,即使作宾语的关系代词也是如此,以免引起句意模糊。

China is an attractive country which has the largest population, where there are lots of mysterious stories and legends and that many westerners are still not familiar with.

4省略式定语从句

在含将来意义的定语从句中,可以省略主语和谓语的一部分主要是情态动词和助动词,而代之以“介词+关系代词+不定式”的形式,这叫做省略式定语从句,或者叫做定语从句的省略形式。此时主句的主语必须与不定式的逻辑主语一致,否则不能改成省略式定语从句。

She dreams of earning a big sum from the stock market with which to buy her family a big flat(=with which she can buy her family a big flat).

参考文献

[1] 章振邦.新编英语语法教程[M].上海外语教育出版社,2009.

[2] 陈德彰.英汉翻译入门[M].外语教学与研究出版社,2012.

[3] 王辉 ,冯秀红.综合英语语法[M].东南大学出版社,2017.endprint

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