在平時(shí)的閱讀中,我們常常會(huì)遇到很多that引導(dǎo)的從句(簡(jiǎn)稱that從句)。本期筆者就來(lái)簡(jiǎn)單探討一下that從句的類型和邏輯語(yǔ)義關(guān)系。
That引導(dǎo)的三大從句
That可以引導(dǎo)三大類從句:定語(yǔ)從句、名詞性從句和狀語(yǔ)從句。具體如下表所示。
需要說(shuō)明的是,當(dāng)that引導(dǎo)結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句時(shí),需要與so或such等搭配使用,即構(gòu)成“so … that …”或“such … that …”結(jié)構(gòu)。
下面筆者列舉一些例句,它們都有一個(gè)共同點(diǎn),即都在fact后面接一個(gè)that從句。盡管如此,但這些that從句的類型不盡相同,由此導(dǎo)致各自的邏輯語(yǔ)義關(guān)系也不同。大家可以根據(jù)上述表格給以下的that從句歸類。
1. The fact that you pointed out interested me.
2. The fact that he wrote a letter to her suggests that he knew her.
3. I knew for a fact that they were far too nervous to be bored.
4. It is an established fact that factory workers work better and harder and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.
5. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth traveled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.
6. More and more people have realized such a fact that heart diseases are related to the way people live.
例句解析
下面筆者來(lái)對(duì)上述例句的that從句一一進(jìn)行解析,判斷它們分別屬于哪種從句類型。
1. The fact that you pointed out interested me.
解析:這里的that從句為定語(yǔ)從句。引導(dǎo)詞that充當(dāng)從句中pointed out的賓語(yǔ),這個(gè)定語(yǔ)從句相當(dāng)于這樣一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單句:“You pointed out the fact.”
參考譯文:你指出的這個(gè)事實(shí)我很感興趣。
2. The fact that he wrote a letter to her suggests that he knew her.
解析:這個(gè)句子有兩個(gè)that從句。前面的that從句that he wrote a letter to her是同位語(yǔ)從句,后面的that從句that he knew her是賓語(yǔ)從句,充當(dāng)動(dòng)詞suggest的賓語(yǔ)。兩個(gè)從句中的連詞that都沒(méi)有充當(dāng)從句的句子成分。實(shí)際上,名詞性從句中的連詞that都不充當(dāng)從句的句子成分。
參考譯文:他給她寫(xiě)了一封信,這個(gè)事實(shí)表明他認(rèn)識(shí)她。
3. I knew for a fact that they were far too nervous to be bored.
解析:這里的that從句是賓語(yǔ)從句。考生要判斷這個(gè)that從句的類型,首先應(yīng)知道這里的for a fact是一個(gè)固定搭配,意為“確實(shí)地, 肯定地”,修飾動(dòng)詞knew。因此,這里的that從句不是fact的同位語(yǔ),而是充當(dāng)knew的賓語(yǔ),故為賓語(yǔ)從句。
參考譯文:我當(dāng)時(shí)確實(shí)知道他們過(guò)于緊張而未覺(jué)得無(wú)聊。
4. It is an established fact that factory workers work better and harder and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.
解析:這里的that從句是主語(yǔ)從句,句中的it是形式主語(yǔ),用于指代真正的主語(yǔ)that從句。大家不要誤認(rèn)為that從句是補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明名詞fact的同位語(yǔ)從句,因?yàn)檫@樣就會(huì)導(dǎo)致it指代不明。
參考譯文:如果把工廠里的機(jī)器漆成橘黃色而不是黑色或灰色,工人就會(huì)干得更勤奮、更出色,事故也會(huì)更少——這是一個(gè)既定事實(shí)。
5. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth traveled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.
解析:這里有三個(gè)that從句,按先后依次標(biāo)明為從句①、②和③,具體斷句如下:
① that any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth traveled round the sun
② that the earth traveled round the sun
③ that I could hardly realize it
對(duì)于這個(gè)句子,我們需要仔細(xì)分辨從句的類型,才能明白整句話的邏輯語(yǔ)義修飾關(guān)系。具體分析如下:
從句①為主語(yǔ)從句。整個(gè)句子的主句謂語(yǔ)動(dòng)詞為appeared,appeared前面為主語(yǔ)部分,即是that引導(dǎo)的主語(yǔ)從句。
從句②是包含在從句①中的賓語(yǔ)從句,充當(dāng)從句①的謂語(yǔ)should not be aware的賓語(yǔ),也就是說(shuō),從句①嵌套了一個(gè)賓語(yǔ)從句that the earth traveled round the sun。換句話說(shuō),should not be aware不是整個(gè)主句的謂語(yǔ),而是that引導(dǎo)的主語(yǔ)從句的謂語(yǔ),這點(diǎn)大家很容易混淆。
從句③是由“such … that …”引導(dǎo)的結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句,它出現(xiàn)在主句謂語(yǔ)appeared to me to be后面,其中的it指代fact。
由此可見(jiàn),這里that從句的類型有主語(yǔ)從句,有在該主語(yǔ)從句中嵌套的一個(gè)賓語(yǔ)從句,還有由“such …that …”引導(dǎo)的結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句。
參考譯文:在現(xiàn)今19世紀(jì),一個(gè)有教養(yǎng)的人竟然不知道地球繞著太陽(yáng)轉(zhuǎn)的事實(shí),這樣離奇的事情在我看來(lái)幾乎無(wú)法理解。
6. More and more people have realized such a fact that heart diseases are related to the way people live.
解析:上面的句5出現(xiàn)了“such … that …”結(jié)構(gòu),本句也出現(xiàn)了同樣的結(jié)構(gòu),但是這兩個(gè)that從句的類型不同。通過(guò)語(yǔ)義分析我們發(fā)現(xiàn),這里的that從句并不表示結(jié)果,也就是說(shuō),這里such與that從句并沒(méi)有語(yǔ)義上的因果關(guān)系。這里的that從句是同位語(yǔ)從句,用于補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明前面的名詞fact。
參考譯文:越來(lái)越多的人已經(jīng)意識(shí)到這樣一個(gè)事實(shí),即心臟病與人們的生活方式密切相關(guān)。
以上我們列舉了that引導(dǎo)定語(yǔ)從句、主語(yǔ)從句、賓語(yǔ)從句、同位語(yǔ)從句和結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句的例句,下面筆者再列舉一個(gè)that引導(dǎo)表語(yǔ)從句的例子。
7. The only thing that is truly impossible is that you know with absolute certainty what is impossible.
解析:本句中有兩個(gè)that引導(dǎo)的從句。第一個(gè)是that is truly impossible,是一個(gè)定語(yǔ)從句,第二個(gè)是that you know with absolute certainty what is impossible,位于系動(dòng)詞be后面,是一個(gè)表語(yǔ)從句。
參考譯文:唯一真正不可能的事情就是你絕對(duì)確信某事不可能。
本句也可以逆序譯成:“你絕對(duì)確信某事不可能,這是唯一不可能的事?!蓖ㄋ椎卣f(shuō),就是“一切皆有可能”,這個(gè)意思也可以用阿迪達(dá)斯的廣告語(yǔ)“impossible is nothing”表達(dá)。
上文列舉的that引導(dǎo)的六種從句都是比較常見(jiàn)的。不過(guò),在其他從句中也可能出現(xiàn)連詞that,比如由so that或in order that引導(dǎo)的目的狀語(yǔ)從句,由in that引導(dǎo)的原因狀語(yǔ)從句,只不過(guò)此時(shí)的從句不是由that單獨(dú)引導(dǎo),而是由that與其他詞組成的復(fù)合從屬連詞引導(dǎo)。諸如此類的從句在此不再贅述。