名词所有格和物主代词的内涵意义

2009-06-25 08:42郭冬梅
考试周刊 2009年19期
关键词:物主代词

郭 庆 郭冬梅

摘 要: 英语的名词所有格和物主代词除表示所有关系外,还有多种内涵意义,主要表示主谓、动宾和被动等关系。本文引用大量例句,对这些关系进行了解释说明。

关键词: 名词所有格 物主代词 内涵意义

众所周知,英语的名词所有格和物主代词表示所有关系。所有格的构成有两种形式:名词词尾加“s”的形式和用介词of加名词的形式。它们是否都表示所有关系?答案是否定的。那么,它们的内涵意义是什么?又表示何种关系?

一、相当于定语从句

1.The paintwork was damaged when my bus hit the street lamp post.此句中“my bus”显然不是“我个人的公交车”。通读全句,仔细体会,应是the bus I took(我乘坐的公交车),这才符合实际。

2.My doctor wrote me a prescription for medicine for my cough.“My doctor”是“我的私人医生”吗?不是。应该是the doctor who gave medical treatment to me(给我看病的医生)。

3.I looked for my new dictionary for several days but havent found it yet.此处“my new dictionary”是the dictionary I bought recently(我新买的词典)的意义。

4.Jacks always the last to catch on my joke.此处“my joke”是the joke I told(我讲的笑话)的意思。

5.I live off the money from my first book.此处my first book显然是the first book I wrote(我写的第一本)的意思。

以上例句中的名词所有格和物主代词,并不表示所有,内涵意义比汉语广泛得多,其句法功能相当于定语从句,译成中文,往往要根据名词的意义添加合适的动词。

以上各句可译成:

1.我乘坐的公交车撞到街上的路灯柱子上,汽车外面的油漆被弄坏了。

2.给我看病的医生给我开了一个治咳嗽的处方。

3.我找我新买的词典找了好几天,可至今仍未找到。

4.杰克总是最后一个弄明白我讲的笑话。

5.我靠我写的第一本书赚的钱生活。

二、表示被动关系

1.Russia expresses surprise over reports of bombers interception.这里“bombers interception”译成“轰炸机的拦截”既不通顺又不达意,显然不对。根据上下文关系,通览全句应是“轰炸机遭拦截”。这里名词所有格与它后面的名词,在逻辑上构成被动关系,即bombers are intercepted。这种名词往往都是动词的名词形式,具有动词意义。

2.My congratulations to General Belousov on his recent appointment to lead this institution.“his recent appointment”即he was appointed recently(他最近被任命)。

3.The teacher makes sure,too,that the child gets enough rest and play,along with his education.“his education”即 he is educated(接受教育)。

4.The ministers enemies engineered his ruin.“his ruin”可理解为:he is ruined,也可变成主动语态,就是“ruin him”,这样就成了动宾关系,意思不变。

5.After their release,the prisoners came home.“their release”是they released还是they were released?从the prisoners came home来看,应是后者。

以上各句可分别译成:

1.俄国(人)对轰炸机遭拦截的报道,表示惊讶。

2.祝贺别洛索夫将军新近被任命为该军事学院院长。

3.教师还要保证每个孩子在接受教育的同时有充分的时间休息和游戏。

4.部长的敌人密谋陷害他。

5.犯人们被释放后回了家。

在第1—5例句中,名词所有格和物主代词与它后面的名词,在逻辑上构成被动关系,或它后面的名词与名词所有格和物主代词,在逻辑上构成动宾关系。还有下面的例句:

6.The book was dedicated to their grandparents memory.

谨以此书纪念他们的祖父母。

7.Chinas official Xinhua News Agency on Thursday reported the satellites destruction by a missile without comment.

中国官方的新华社星期三报道了卫星被导弹击毁,但未加评论。

8.Mughniyehs assassination has generated swirls of speculation about who killed him and how.穆格尼耶遭暗杀已经引起种种猜测:是谁又是怎样暗杀他的。

三、表示主谓关系

1.At one doorway a clerk physically blocked the entrance apparently to discourage our entry.“our entry”形式上是表示所有,实际在逻辑上表示一种主谓关系,相当于we entered (我们进去)。

2.To everyones surprise,the old painter seemed to have more energy after his recovery from his serious illness than even the young.根据逻辑关系“everyones surprise”相当于everyone surprised(大家感到惊讶)。“his recovery”相当于 he recovered(他痊愈),而“his serious illness”相当于he was seriously ill(他患重病)。

3.Can you think of any explanation for his frequent absence from work?“his frequent absence from work”相当于he is frequently absent from work(他经常旷工)。

4.After all my care in packing it,many of the ceramics arrived broken.“my care”相当于I am careful(我小心翼翼)。

5.Their assumption that their project under way was something entirely new proved to be untrue.

“Their assumption” 相当于They assumed(他们以为)。

6.His inability to speak English puts him at a disadvantage when he attends international conferences. “His inability 相当于he has no ability(他不会)。

7.The presence of high levels of the protein in the blood shows that the heart muscle is under pressure in some way.“The presence of high levels of the protein”相当于high levels of the protein arepresent(这种蛋白质大量出现)。

第1—7句分别译成:

1.在一个入口处,一名营业员用身体挡住了大门,显然是想打消我们进去的念头。

2.使大家感到惊讶的是这位老画家患重病痊愈后似乎比青年人精力还要充沛。

3.他经常旷工你能想得出有什么理由进行解释吗?

4.尽管我小心翼翼包好瓷器,运到时还是坏了许多。

5.他们以为他们正在进行的课题是崭新的,事实证明不是那样。

6.他不会说英语,这使他在参加国际会议时处于不利的地位。

7.血液中大量出现这种蛋白质表明心肌在某种程度上受到压迫。

在第1—7句中,名词所有格和物主代词与名词,在逻辑上构成主谓关系。

四、表示动宾关系

1.It has sponsored the growing of cash crops such as cassava,maize,cotton,and the planting of trees to regenerate waste land.此处“growing of cash crops”相当于cash crops grow还是grow cash crops?如果只看growing of cash crops很难判断。但是,结合上下文,sponsored 和the planting of trees,不难发现,应该是后者,即growing of cash crops相当于grow cash crops,表示动宾关系:种植经济作物。the planting of trees(植树造林)。

2.After you deal with your hostile feelings,recognition of the temporary nature of culture shock begins.“recognition of the temporary nature of culture shock”相当于recognize the temporary nature of culture shock(认识到文化冲击的短暂性)。

3.I had seen her expression when she opened the door, her forced smile as she surveyed him from head to toe,checking her judgment of him against that already given to her by Auntie Suyuan.“her judgment of him” 相当于she judged him,是主谓宾的关系;她评价里奇。

4.His difficulties in his work issue from his lack of experience.“his lack of experience” 即he lacks experience,构成主谓宾的关系:他缺乏经验。

5.On Monday,former President Bill Clinton said more people would get tested for HIV If an aggressive effort took place to fight the stigma.But reducing fears of social rejection is not enough.“fears of social rejection”相当于fear social rejection(担忧受社会排斥)。

第1—5例句分别译成:

1.为恢复荒地的地力,它(政府)资助人们种植诸如木薯、玉米、棉花之类的经济作物和植树造林。

2.在你克服了自己的敌对情绪后,就会开始认识到文化冲击的短暂性。

3.我曾注意到她开门时的面部表情,以及她从头到脚打量他,以亲自验证素媛阿姨已经给她讲过的对里奇的评价时露出来的不自然的笑容。

4.他工作中的困难是由于缺乏经验而引起的。

5.周一,前总统比尔·克林顿说,如果要大力防治艾滋病,就需要更多的人做艾滋病病毒检测。仅减少对社会排斥的担忧是不够的。

综上所述,英语中绝大多数的名词所有格和物主代词,是表示所有关系的。但是,它的内涵意义很多,还可以表示主谓、动宾和被动等关系。所以,不能把英语所有格等同于汉语的所有格。遇到英语名词所有格和物主代词,要具体分析,结合上下文,找出内在逻辑关系,才能正确地理解和翻译英语中的名词所有格和物主代词。

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