【问题讨论】Especially is this
the case with... 这个表达正确吗？刘永科有网友问：Especially is this the case with
designations for types of men in modern society. 这是薄冰老师《高级...
【问题讨论】
Especially is this
the case with... 这个表达正确吗？
刘永科
有网友问：Especially is this the case with
designations for types of men in modern society. 这是薄冰老师《高级英语语法》P693页的句子。请问各位老师，是不是especially放句首都必须要倒装？可是查牛津/朗文词典都有提示说，这个词不能放句首。
****************************
■alex119老师参与讨论（由管理员根据下面的评论转录于此）：
▲Especially置于句首用倒装这个用法很古旧，19世纪到20世纪上半页是有这样的句子可以见到。即使到上世纪80年代也有类似的例子：
(1)
Conversations take place at difference levels, but especially is it important that they take place amongst teachers
rooted in distinctive languages or subject traditions.
(1)
Especially is this the case with the
Bedouin Arabs'. 3Especially is this the case with regard to freedom of action
and unexpected rewards.
▲在Oxford Fowlers Modern
English Usage Dictionary第二版的第166页作者Fowlers这样写道：
Especially
with inversion. The word is a favourite with victims of this craze (see
INVERSION): Springs of mineralized water, famous from Roman times onwards; especially did they come into renown
during the nineteenthcentury. Mr. Campbell does not recognize a change of
opinion, but frankly admits a change of emphasis; especially is he anxious at the present time to advance the cause
of Liberal Evangelism.
▲还是这本书，在第300页：
YET,
ESPECIALLY,RATHER, ETC. A curious habit has grown up of allowing these and
similar words to dictate a link inversion when the stressing of the link is so
little necessary that it gives a noticeable formality or pomposity to the
passage. It is a matter not for argument, but for taste;will the reader compare
the quoted forms with those suggested in the brackets? Especially and rather
usually change their place when inversion is given up, but yet remains first.
▲在“The New Fowlers Modern
English Usage2000第三版”中Fowlers就把上述的内容删除了，压根就没提了，这样的用法太老了，不符合当代的使用情况。如果看到这样的句子不必太惊讶，不能算错的，只是老的用法。
▲当代的使用情况如下：
（不放句首） This is especially the case with older
buildings.(英语搭配大辞典英汉对照，P256) 这样的例子很多。
■凡哥老师参与讨论（由管理员根据下面的评论转录于此）：
英语发展到现在，除了那些专门钻研语法的专业人士，一般很难简单的用“正确与否”来断定某个表达是对还是错。如果用是否acceptable来论说的话：
1.
正式写作和学术写作（not acceptable，有的字典说不能置于句首，主要就是指这种情况）；
2.
写小说，或者工作交流中用非正式语气写电邮（acceptable）；
3.
日常口语、熟人之间的谈话（acceptable）。特别强调，如楼上alex所言，especially置于句首用倒装是种老掉牙的用法，上述两类acceptable的情况，一般都不用倒装。原因很简单，非正式场合还用倒装的，都是所谓的grammar absolutist，既然是语法的absolutist，自然就会遵循especially不放句首的“规则”。供参考。
■好题老师参与讨论（由管理员根据下面的评论转录于此）：
个人认为：薄冰老师的句子在文学语言中可能会出现，尽管日常英语中不常见。做状语的副词可以前置，句子局部倒装，当然也可以不倒装。这里之所以倒装，因为especially 通常不用于句首。一些字典的说法，应该指正常语序的情况下。
