APP下载

走近“独立主格”

2019-04-26孙启春

文教资料 2019年5期
关键词:合作原则经济性

孙启春

摘    要: 独立主格是一种高层次的语法现象,独立主格(Absolute Construction)是一个句子的状语表达形式。所谓“主格”,是因为它带有自己独立的逻辑主语。独立主格做状语,可以表达主句的时间、原因、条件、方式、伴随等,它和主句之间一般由逗号隔开。独立主格主要用于书面语,体现了语言经济性和审美特点。

关键词: 独立主格    合作原则    经济性

一、定义

(1)Everything taken into consideration, the plan put up by our manager seems to be more workable.(2017:88)

(2)She ran back to the kitchen, eggs held carefully in her hands.(2018:13)

以上两个句子分别出自2017年和2018年河南省专升本入学考试的英语试题的翻译和单项选择。这两个句子都考察了同一个语法现象——独立主格(Absolute Construction)。独立主格是状语的一种表现形式,属于高层次语法现象。关于“独立主格”,章振邦先生如是论述,“所谓独立结构, 实质上就是带有自己主语的非限定分句和无动词分句”,“通常在句中起状语分句的作用”。这里的“独立结构”指的是独立主格。

独立主格是一个句子的状语表达形式。所谓“主格”,是因为它带有独立的逻辑主语。独立主格做状语,可以表达主句的时间、原因、条件、方式、伴随等,它和主句之间一般由逗号隔开。独立主格的基本形式为:

n/pron+ing/ed/to do/n/prep/adj/adv, + main clause。

学习独立主格要注意它的三个特征:

其一,独立主格有自己的逻辑主语,与主句的主语不同。

其二,独立主格的逻辑主语和其后的分词、不定式、形容词、副词、介词、名词等存在逻辑上的主谓关系。

其三,独立主格结构一般由逗号和主句分开,其与主句不能直接添加连接词。

独立主格和独立成分的区别:

英语里有一种类似于独立主格的状语形式,在整个句子中却找不到它的逻辑主语,它的逻辑主语隐藏在语义之中,这种现象叫做独立成分。常见的独立成分有:

Generally speaking, to be brief/honest, to tell the truth, considering everything, comparing to/with, judging from等。例如:

(1)Generally speaking, women live longer than men.

(2)Considering everything, his idea is fairly workable.

(3)To determine the number of cells, a sample is put under a microscope.

這种现象更多的出现在科技文体中,因为科技文体往往避免使用人称主语。这种活泼的表达形式的原则是不会引起歧义,初学者宜慎用。

二.独立主格表现形式及句法功能

1.出现位置

独立主格在句子里做状语,其位置多出现于句首,有时也会出现于句中或句尾。

(1)There being no bus, they had to walk to the station.

(2)A policeman came in, his face red with cold.

(3)He stood in the door-way, his wet cloak dripping water on the rug, and waited for some sign of recognition.

2.表现形式

独立主格的基本形式为S+done/doing/to do/adj/adv/n/prep, etc.

(1)So many people to help him, he is sure to succeed.(n+动词不定式)

(2)The problem solved, they went to bed.(n+过去分词)

(3)Nothing given, we couldnt complete the task on time.(pron+过去分词)

(4)The policemen rushed in, guns in hand.(n+介词)

(5)It being Christmas, the supermarket was full of people.(pron+现在分词)

(6)They fell asleep, all lights on. (n+副词)

(7)Class over, the students left the classroom soon.(n+形容词)

(8)He received a lot of gifts, many of them books.(pron+名词)

3.句法功能

(1)Time permitting, we will go for a picnic tomorrow.(条件状语)

(2)His glasses broken, she couldnt see the words clearly on the blackboard.(His glasses broken,原因状语)

(3)The project completed, Mr. Brown went abroad.(时间状语)

(4)Jack came up, a book in his hand.(方式状语)

(5)A small boy, his satchel trailing behind him, ran fast.(伴随状语)

4.with +独立主格构成with复合结构

with的复合结构基本形式为“with+宾语+宾语补足语”。

(1)The girl felt very safe with her father standing beside her.

(2)All the day he stayed at home alone with the door locked.

(3)With too much work to do, he gave up going abroad.

with的复合结构不仅做状语,还可以用来做定语。

(4)There were rows of houses with trees in front of them.

三、独立主格是状语从句的简略形式

具有状语特征的独立主格实质上就是一个状语从句,它是语言使用者删繁就简、灵活超脱的高级表达形式,体现了逻辑、省略和语义三者巧妙结合。

(1)Weather permitting, we will go for a picnic tomorrow.

(= If weather permits, we will go for a picnic tomorrow.)

(2)The project completed, Mr. Brown went abroad.

(=After the project had been completed, Mr. Brown went abroad.)

表示方式和伴隨的独立主格更像一个并列句。

(3)Jack came up, a book in his hand.

(=Jack came up, and there was a book in his hand.)

独立主格的being, having been通常省略。而且其省略又不限于谓语部分,可以延伸到其他限定成分。

(4)My family (being) out, I was alone quietly at home with a cup of tea.

(5)All the tickets (having been) sold out, she had to wait for the next weeks show.

(6)The young man sat there, (his) eyes (being) half closed.

(7)The professor stepped into the classroom, (a) book in (her) hand.

四、独立主格存在的理据

独立主格主要用于书面语,其语言功能有两点。

1.语言表达的简洁要求

哲学家Herbert Paul Grice提出合作原则(Cooperative of Principle)用来指导言语行为,内容包括:质量准则(Maxim of Quality),要让你的表达真实。不说你认为是错误的话;不说缺乏充分证据的话。数量准则(Maxim of Quantity),要充分传达所需信息;不要传达多于需要的内容。关系准则(Maxim of Relation),内容相关。方式准则(Maxim of Manner),务必清晰。避免模糊不清,模棱两可;简洁;有序。语言作为人类信息交流的工具准确性和经济性是必然的要求。

“To make things easy to our organs of speech, to economize time and effort in the work of expression.” (让我们的发音器官更轻松,节约时间和力气)。

2.语言文字的审美要求

书面语言要兼顾内容和形式的双重要求。独立主格的出现可以让书面语言在形式方面长短穿插,灵活多变;在语义方面含蓄凝练,耐人寻味,满足语言的审美要求。试看小说Jane Eyre诸例:

(1)With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy: happy at least in my way. I feared nothing but interruption, and that came soon.(Chapter 1)短句铺排,简洁整齐。预示好景不长,祸患将至。

(2)“What is all this?”demanded another voice peremptorily; and Mrs. Reed came along the corridor, her cap flying wide, her gown rustling stormily. (Chapter 2) 用极少的文字准确传达了里德夫人的惊慌恼怒、来势汹汹,小简·爱必然大祸临头。

(3)Many already smitten, went home only to die: some died at school, and were buried quietly and quickly, the nature of malady forbidding delay.(Chapter 9) 简洁的语言描绘了Lowood在疾病流行时期的阴森、恐怖和绝望。

参考文献:

[1]Otto Jespersen. Language, Its Nature, Development and Origin[M]. Beijing: World Publishing Corporation,2016:245.

[2]Bronte. C.. Jane Eyre[M].Beijing: Contemporary China Publishing House,2002:4,15,95.

[3]刘润清,文旭.新编语言学教程[M].北京:外语教学与研究出版社,2006:153-154.

[4]章振邦.新编英语语法教程[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社,1997:570-571.

猜你喜欢

合作原则经济性
高层建筑结构设计经济性探讨与分析
基于经济性和热平衡的主动进气格栅策略开发(续2)
基于经济性和热平衡的主动进气格栅策略开发(续1)
英语网络流行语在不同语境下的分析
合作原则下的《老友记》语言幽默分析
从话语分析理论看《暮色》中男主角参与的对话
600MW超临界机组热经济性定量分析
论测量的经济性
135MW汽轮机组滑压运行经济性分析