章振邦语法英语句子汉译:分裂不定式

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365分裂不定式 |
分裂不定式
1)
什么是分裂下定式
所谓“分裂不定式"
(split
Infinitive)
就是在不定式符号
to
与动词之间插入了一个修饰语如
to
madly love,
to
really
and
truly
love
此类结构在英语史中源远流长:早在
13-14世纪的“中世纪英语"
(Middle English)
中就已出现。到了
18-19世纪“现代英语"
(Modern
English)
时代,用的人越来越多,许多著名作家都广为应用。但是到了
19世纪中叶以后,英国兴起了一个“规范语言运动”,许多语言学家认为“分裂不定式”不够”规范”,把它视为一种“语法错误",更由于此种“规定“长期用于英语教学,从而传
统语法的这一”规定“影响深远。 尽管如此,“分裂不定式”还是屡禁不止,并在语法学中成为一个长期争论的问题。
2)
问题的现状
一个语言现象既然屡禁不止,必有其存在的合理性。 分裂不定式问题实际上是一个修辞问题。 在不定式符号
to
与动词之间,如果插入了太长、太复杂的修饰语,从而影响语言的简练, 此类语言现象确也存在着改进的空间。
She asked me to
as
quickly
as
possible
drop
over
to
her house.
她要我尽快去她家。
The chief undertook
to forcefully, fully, firmly,
and
systematically advise
the
laymen
of
their
rights.
如果把此类冗长的动词修饰语移到句尾,也许能使句子结构更加平衡,读起来更加顺口。
She asked me to drop
over to
her
house
as
quickly
as
possible.
The chief undertook to advise the laymen
of
their rights
forcefully, fully, firmly,
and
systematically.酋长采取了行动:在解说民众有关权利事宜时做到了有力、充分、坚定、系统。
但是,在一般语境中,如果插入的修饰语比较简单,并不太长,此种分裂不定式不仅会显得简练有力,而且有时还可避免歧义。
He stayed at the office
to finally
check
the
accounts. 他呆在办公室里,终审有关账目。
I have tired to
consciously
stop
worrying about
it. 我已经厌倦了的是有意识地停止担心这种事情。
I'd like
to quickly call
out
the names. 我想快点叫出名字来。
I
want
to really
study: I
want
to be a scholar. 我想真正地学习:我想成为一名学者。
It led them
to finally abandon
publishing fiction at
all. 这导致他们最终放弃出版小说呢。
He was unwilling to
long
keep
silence. 他不愿长时间保持沉默。
The goal was
to further exclude
Arafat. 目的是进一步排除阿拉法特。
再观察以下诸句,如果不用分裂不定式就会引出歧义。
We expect
to
more
than double profits
this
year.(在本句中,如果不用分裂不定式,则
more
than将置于何处?)
He decided
to secretly investigate
the
matter.
(在本句中,如果把
secretly
置于
to
investigate
之前或句尾,都会引出歧义。)
He
wanted
to really help
David. 他想真正帮助大卫。
(在本句中,如果把
really
置于不定式之前,或者把它置于句尾,都是既可理解为修饰
wanted,
也可理解为修饰
help;
如果在句尾
really
之前加个逗号,则really成为评注性状语,修饰整个句子。