Wednesday, September 1, 2010

回答問題、附加問句

問: Why was Susan afraid?(蘇珊為什麼害怕?)這問題,假如答以( It was) Because she saw a ghost(因為她見到鬼魂),句子算不算完整?要不要改為 She was afraid because she saw a ghost?

答:用 why提出的問題,回答可逕用 because起句,不算是「不完整句子」( incomplete sentence)。第四版《朗文當代英文辭典》以及 Cambridge International Dictionary of English because條下就有以下例句:( 1)"Why can't I go?" "Because you're not old enough."(「我為什麼不能去?」「因為你年紀太輕。」)( 2)"Why did you do it?" "Because Carlos told me to."(「你為什麼做這件事?」「因為卡洛斯叫我做。」)讀者示下那一句, Because之前不必加 It was,更不必像小學生學答問題那樣,說 She was afraid because she saw a ghost。

Since、 as二字,也可解作「因為」,但一般不可以像 because那樣獨立成句,例如要回答 Why was Susan afraid?不可說 Since/ As she saw a ghost。這是慣用法,不可解釋。

問:「請不要唱歌,可以嗎?」英文可不可譯做 Please don't sing, can you?

答:以 Don't開頭的祈使句( imperative),有要求合作或警告、提醒含義,附加問句( tag question)習慣用 will you,不用 can you,例如:( 1) Don't smoke, will you?(不要吸煙,好嗎?)( 2) Don't forget it, will you?(不要忘了啊。)讀者說的那一句,也應用 will you,不用 can you。

【代郵】朱先生:「誌」本有「記錄」含義,「誌哀」即「記錄哀傷」;「致」則有「送達」之意,「致哀」可解作「表達哀傷」,俱為正確說法。

(古德明)2010年09月01日

No comments:

Post a Comment