摘 要: 英語(yǔ)插入語(yǔ)是看似簡(jiǎn)單,而實(shí)際上不好掌握的一種語(yǔ)言現(xiàn)象。無(wú)論在書面語(yǔ)還是在口語(yǔ)中都十分常見(jiàn)。本文就這一語(yǔ)言現(xiàn)象,對(duì)其表現(xiàn)形式、實(shí)際應(yīng)用以及在使用中應(yīng)注意的問(wèn)題進(jìn)行了探討和歸納。
關(guān)鍵詞: 英語(yǔ)插入語(yǔ) 表現(xiàn)形式 應(yīng)用
英語(yǔ)插入語(yǔ)在句子中屬于獨(dú)立成分,是英語(yǔ)中尤其是在口語(yǔ)中很常見(jiàn)的語(yǔ)法現(xiàn)象,通常用一個(gè)逗號(hào)把它與句子隔開。一般來(lái)講,插入語(yǔ)主要用來(lái)使句子與前面的句子在邏輯上銜接得更緊密一些,或?qū)σ痪湓捵饕恍└郊拥慕忉?。掌握這一語(yǔ)言現(xiàn)象不僅有利于對(duì)句子、篇章的理解,而且有助于提高英語(yǔ)的寫作水平。常見(jiàn)的插入語(yǔ)有下列幾種。
1.常見(jiàn)作插入語(yǔ)的形容詞或其短語(yǔ)
true(真的),funny(真可笑),strange to say(說(shuō)也奇怪),needless to say(不用說(shuō)),most important of all(最為重要),worse still(更糟糕的)等。例如:
Strange to say(或True),he should have done such a thing.說(shuō)也奇怪(或真的),他竟然做出這樣的事。
Most important of all,you each over fulfilled your own task.更為重要的,你們各自超額完成了自己的任務(wù)。
The pieces of stone were then carried to the new place for the temple,60 meters higher up the hill.然后把石頭搬運(yùn)到寺廟的新址——比原址高出60米的山上。
The book can be enjoyed by everyone,young or old.這本書,老幼皆宜,人人能看懂。
2.常用作插入語(yǔ)的副詞
indeed(的確),surely(無(wú)疑),however(然而),obviously(顯然),frankly(坦率地說(shuō)),naturally(自然),luckily(或happily) for sb.(算某人幸運(yùn)),fortunately(幸好),strangely(奇怪),honestly(真的),briefly(簡(jiǎn)單地說(shuō))等。例如:
Luckily for you,I happen to have the key.你很運(yùn)氣,我正好帶了鑰匙。
Otherwise,we should commit a serious mistake.否則,我們會(huì)犯嚴(yán)重錯(cuò)誤。
Strangely,he has not been to China Unicom.Still more strangely,he has not called me.奇怪,他未來(lái)過(guò)中國(guó)聯(lián)通。更奇怪,他沒(méi)給我打電話。
Fortunately,I found the book that I’d lost.幸虧我找到了已丟失的那本書。
She prefers beef.Still,you will know next time,won’t you?她更喜歡牛肉,當(dāng)然,下一次你就知道了。
I don’t want to see it,besides,I’m tired.我不想去看,再說(shuō),我也累了。
3.連詞作插入語(yǔ)
例如:
Everyone here,whether men or women,must obey the rules.這兒的每個(gè)人,無(wú)論男女,必須遵守制度。
A satellite is an object,either natural or man-made,which travels in an orbit round another object in space.衛(wèi)星是一種物體,或是天然的,或是人造的,它圍繞太空另一物體在軌道上運(yùn)行。
4.不定式作插入語(yǔ)
常見(jiàn)的有:to tell the truth(老實(shí)說(shuō));to be short(簡(jiǎn)單地);to begin with(首先);to be sure(自然、當(dāng)然、果然);to be honest/frank(老實(shí)說(shuō));to make things worse(使事情更糟的是);to make a long story short(長(zhǎng)話短說(shuō));to speak of(值得一提的是),to be fair,to sum up(概括地說(shuō))等。
這些插入語(yǔ)表示說(shuō)話人的態(tài)度,在句子中作獨(dú)立成分。例如:
To start with,China is ready strengthen scientific and technological cooperation with many countries.首先,中國(guó)準(zhǔn)備和許多國(guó)家加強(qiáng)科學(xué)技術(shù)合作。
Once I nearly posted it to Germany,but,to tell you the truth,I didn’twant to spend money on a stamp.有一次我差點(diǎn)把它寄到德國(guó)去,老實(shí)對(duì)您說(shuō),我不愿花錢去買郵票。
To be sure,that’s a very useful book.確實(shí),那是一本很用的書。
I don’t like the book at all,to be honest.老實(shí)說(shuō),我一點(diǎn)也不喜歡那本書。
But I think we’ll give her a shot,just to be safe.但是,我認(rèn)為為了安全起見(jiàn),還得給他一槍。
5.分詞短語(yǔ)作插入語(yǔ)
常見(jiàn)的有:generally speaking(一般地說(shuō));frankly speaking(考慮到);judging from/by;talking of(談到);considering(考慮到,因?yàn)槭牵籶utting it mildly(說(shuō)得客氣一點(diǎn))等。
這些分詞用來(lái)修飾整個(gè)句子。例如:
Generally speaking,the weather in Britain is neither too cold in winter nor too hot in summer.一般來(lái)說(shuō),不列顛的氣候冬天不太冷,夏天不太熱。
Judging by his clothes,he may be an artist.從衣著來(lái)判斷,他可能是個(gè)藝術(shù)家。
He rang up all his friends in the pop world,including the most famous pop stars.他打電話給歌壇上的所有朋友,包括最著名的流行歌星。
6.常用作插入語(yǔ)的介詞短語(yǔ)
常見(jiàn)的有:in a few words(或in sum,in short)(簡(jiǎn)而言之),in other words(換句話說(shuō)),in a sense(在某種意義上),in general(一般說(shuō)來(lái)),in my view(在我看來(lái)),in his opinion(judgment)(按照他的意見(jiàn)(判斷)),in conclusion(總之),in summary(概括地說(shuō)),in fact(事實(shí)上),in the first place(首先),in addition(此外),of course(當(dāng)然),to our knowledge(據(jù)我們所知),to my joy(delight,satisfaction)(使我欣慰(高興、滿意)的),to their surprise(astonishment,amazement)(使他們驚奇的),to her regret(disappointment)(使她遺憾(失望)的),for instance(或example)(例如),as a matter of fact(事實(shí)上)等。
Of course,he did not succeed for the lack of experience.當(dāng)然,他由于缺乏經(jīng)驗(yàn)而未成功。
Do not plant,for example,rice year after year in the same field.例如,在同一塊地里,不要年復(fù)一年地種稻谷。
By the way,Bob sends his best wishes.順便說(shuō)一下,鮑勃給您問(wèn)好了。
Why do you think we can’t change your note,on the contrary,we can.你怎么知道我們找不開你的錢,恰恰相反,我們能找開。
As a result,we have to water the vegetable garden.結(jié)果,我們不得不給菜地澆水。
7.代詞詞組作插入語(yǔ)
all the same(盡管如此),all told(總共),all in all(總的來(lái)說(shuō))等。例如:
His crew was reduced to twenty-four all told.他的船員減少到總共二十四人。
All in all,her condition is greatly improved.總的來(lái)說(shuō),她的情況有很大好轉(zhuǎn)。
All the same,this should be taken into consideration.盡管如此,這一點(diǎn)還是應(yīng)當(dāng)考慮進(jìn)去。
8.從句作插入語(yǔ)
例如:
You know I think you are wrong.我認(rèn)為,你明白你錯(cuò)了。
That is to say,we have to study harder.這就是說(shuō),我們應(yīng)該更加努力學(xué)習(xí)。
That would be a good beginning,I hope.我希望,那是一個(gè)好的開始。
What’s more,40 percent of workers in factories have to find new jobs again.而且工廠里有40%的工人不得不再找新工作。
One day,it is said,Newton saw an apple fall from a tree.據(jù)說(shuō),有一天牛頓見(jiàn)到一個(gè)蘋果從樹上掉下來(lái)。
9.If從句及該從句的省略形式作插入語(yǔ)
常見(jiàn)的有:if you don’t mind;if you like;if you please;if necessary;if any;if I may say so;if convenient等。例如:
The piano is as good as,if not better than,that one.這架鋼琴,即使不比那架好,至少跟它一樣好。
He said that,if any,there was only a few.他說(shuō),如果有的話,也就有幾本了。
10.類似雙重定語(yǔ)從句結(jié)構(gòu)的從句作插入語(yǔ)
例如:
...but as a machine which everyone will agree belongs in the well-organized and regulated and sensible household...它們是機(jī)器,大家會(huì)一致認(rèn)為,這種機(jī)器是有條不紊的、充滿智慧的家庭的一員。
He and his friends wrote letters to every person in the United States who they knew wanted to save the trees.他和他的朋友們向據(jù)他們所知希望保護(hù)這種樹木的每一個(gè)美國(guó)人發(fā)信件。
There was no trace of fingerprints,but the inspector found a dirty red bundle that contained jewellery which the old lady said was not hers.雖然沒(méi)有找到指紋的痕跡,但巡官卻發(fā)現(xiàn)一個(gè)裝著珠寶的骯臟的紅包裹,老婦人說(shuō)這個(gè)包裹不是她的。
The supervisor was advised to give the assignment to whoever he believes had a strong sense of responsibility.人們勸主管人把這項(xiàng)任務(wù)交給他認(rèn)為有強(qiáng)烈責(zé)任感的人。
從上述句子中可以看出,各句中的插入語(yǔ)既不是省略了關(guān)系代詞,也不是用來(lái)限制先行詞的意義的。另外,從結(jié)構(gòu)上看,在帶雙重定語(yǔ)從句的結(jié)構(gòu)中,第一個(gè)定語(yǔ)從句總是出現(xiàn)在第二個(gè)定語(yǔ)從句的關(guān)系代詞之前,而在這類插入語(yǔ)的句子中,插入語(yǔ)總是出現(xiàn)在定語(yǔ)從句的關(guān)系代詞之后。下面這兩個(gè)句子就是帶雙重定語(yǔ)從句的結(jié)構(gòu)。
She is the only girl I know who can play the guitar.
He is the best man I can find who can mend it within an hour.
11.表示疑問(wèn)的插入語(yǔ)結(jié)構(gòu)
含有think,suppose,guess,say,imagine,expect,believe等動(dòng)詞的疑問(wèn)句,后接含疑問(wèn)詞的賓語(yǔ)從句時(shí),要將疑問(wèn)詞放在句首。例如:
What explanation do you suppose the teacher could give?你想老師會(huì)如何解釋?
Who do you guess broke the window?你猜是誰(shuí)把窗戶打破了?
Where do you believe we should go during the summer holiday?你認(rèn)為暑假期間,我們應(yīng)該到哪兒去。
Whom do you think I should see first?
這一結(jié)構(gòu)可改為:Whom should I see first,do you think?
12.用標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)引導(dǎo)插入語(yǔ)
例如:
He was(strange as it seems)an excellent sportsman.他(盡管還顯得令人不解)是個(gè)出色的運(yùn)動(dòng)員。
He was——to me at least,if not to you——a figure that was worth having pity on.至少我覺(jué)得如此,即使你不這樣認(rèn)為,他是一個(gè)值得同情的人。
關(guān)于插入語(yǔ)在句子中的位置,從上述所列例句中已經(jīng)看得很清楚了。它可以放在句首、句中或句末。
參考文獻(xiàn):
?。?]周定之.大學(xué)英語(yǔ)疑難辨析.湖南文藝出版社,2000.4.
?。?]毛榮貴.英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法熱點(diǎn)透視.上海交通大學(xué)出版社,1999.2.
?。?]陸克等.巧學(xué)英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法.新世界出版社,1996.4.
[4]高翔.英語(yǔ)疑題精解.東華大學(xué)出版社,2004.3.