英語(yǔ)講義【86】形容詞句型

字號(hào):

近年來(lái),基于不同目的,到新加坡的外國(guó)人在不斷增加中。這么一來(lái),就有越來(lái)越多人要租買房子。下面這便條便是個(gè)急著要買政府組屋者發(fā)出的:
    “I am urgently to get a flat at this block. If you wish to sell your flat, please contact pager: xxxxxxxx.”
    這便條的目的一目了然,但是第一個(gè)句子里出現(xiàn)了兩個(gè)錯(cuò)誤。一個(gè)是詞類(part of speech)問(wèn)題,另一個(gè)是句型(sentence pattern)。
    大家知道,英語(yǔ)接系動(dòng)詞(linking verbs)“be”等后面必須要有補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)(complements)。主要的是名詞或形容詞,也可以是表示“地方”的副詞或副詞短語(yǔ),如:
    ① Jason is a teacher.
    ② Helen's new hair style is fashionable.
    ③ Who is there?
    ④ All the students are in the classroom.
    ⑤ John used to be a business man.
    ⑥ That man was once very rich.
    ⑦ I had been in London before.
    ⑧ Tom was not in when Sam visited him.
    不管是“is, are, to be, was, been”等,它們都是“be”不同形態(tài)的接系動(dòng)詞,跟著的補(bǔ)足語(yǔ)是名詞(見①和⑤)、形容詞(見 ②和⑥)、地點(diǎn)副詞(#見③和⑧)和地點(diǎn)副詞短語(yǔ)(見④和⑦)。
    便條中用的是“urgently”,這是個(gè)狀態(tài)副詞(adverb of manner),不適宜充當(dāng)補(bǔ)足語(yǔ);應(yīng)該改用形容詞“urgent”,才合語(yǔ)法。麻煩的是:合語(yǔ)法、不合用法。
    這便是便條中的第二個(gè)錯(cuò)誤,也就是形容詞句型(adjective pattern)不對(duì)。
    “I am urgent to get a flat at this block.”這句話直譯成中文是:“我急著要在這座組屋買間單位”,很順口,很恰當(dāng)。但是這句里的“urgent”不符合形容詞慣用句型。反向翻譯(中→英),應(yīng)該是:“I am in urgent need of a flat at this block”。不然就要把句型改為:“It is urgent for me to get a flat at this block.”
    在英語(yǔ)里,“it+be+adjective+(for someone) +to-infinitive”是個(gè)極常用的形容詞句型,如:
    ① It is possible for you to become a good editor.
    ② It is necessary for all of us to abide by the law and order of a country.
    ③ It is useful for us to learn a second language well.
    ④ It is fortunate to have such a good boss.
    ⑤ It is impossible to teach a lauguage well without a good dedicated teacher.
    ⑥ Is it right to say one thing but to do another thing?
    ⑦ Is it comfortable for you to act with a guilty conscience?
    最后,順便把與“urgent”有關(guān)的正確用法舉出來(lái):
    ⑧ This matter is important but not urgent, so take your time.
    ⑨ The woman sitting on the sofa wants to see the manager. She is urgent in her request.
    ⑩ We have just received a very urgent directive on the reshuffle of some key personnel.