Wednesday, August 11, 2010

被動語態問題

問: Hong Kong bills itself as a shopper's paradise, a term that implies that great deals can be had這一句的 can be had是什麼意思,什麼句法?

答: Great deals can be had只是普通被動語態( passive voice),改用主動語態( active voice),可寫作 Consumers can have great deals。讀者大概是不習慣用 have作全動詞( full verb),所以覺得奇怪;原句假如用 secured、 clinched等動詞取代 had,意思應該就不會有人不明白:「香港自稱為購物者天堂,是說購物可以很合算。」

除了 can be had,你還可以說 must be had、 may be had等,例如: The necessary tools must be had(= We must have the necessary tools) if we are to do the job well(要把工作做好,我們一定要有所需工具)。

問: The government of South Korea backed off from the announcement it made on 7 May這一句,那 it字代表什麼?可以刪去嗎?

答:這個 it當然是指 government,但把這 it字略去也可以。假如不用省略法,那麼,句子的主動和被動語態寫法如下: The government of South Korea back off from the announcement( which) it made on 7 May/ the announcement( which was) made on 7 May(南韓政府不再堅持五月七日發表的聲明)。留意主動語態的關係代名詞( relative pronoun),用在兩個名詞或代名詞之間,可以略去;被動語態的關係代名詞,假如略去,則其後的 is、 were等輔助動詞也應略去。

(古德明)

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