对中国外语教师群“有问必答”的问题商榷（之六）

刘永科

◆近来，我有幸读到中国外语教师群的“有问必答”，是中国外语教育专家张鑫友教授，针对教师群里老师们的问题所作的解答。看了几期之后，感觉受益匪浅。

◆不过，有些问题，张教授可能一时疏忽，解答得不够准确，甚至出现错误。我觉得，有必要把它们指出来，并阐明我自己的观点。以期更好地为老师们答疑解惑，为英语教学服务。

◆“有问必答”，新浪网、搜狐网上都有过转载，在百度可以搜索到。

以下问答，来自FLTA外语教师联盟、中国外语教师群“有问必答”（第期）

【问】His writing is so confusing that it's difficult to make out what it is he is trying to express. 请分析句子结构。

【张教授的解答】               

A老师提供的第一个句子是一个多重复合句。

第一重复合句是包含so…that…引导结果状语从句的句子，即His writing is so confusing that…;

第二重复合句是that从句中所包含的一个主从复合句，即it’s difficult to make out what…，其主句是it’s difficult to make out，宾语从句是what it is he is trying to express，此主句中的it是先行词，其主语是动词不定式to make out…；

第三重复合句是what it is he is trying to express，此句中的it不是先行词it，而是指代词，指代句首的His writing，what it is he is trying to express是it is的表语从句，其what作express的宾语，宾语what疑问词提至第三重复合句的句首。

分析了这个复杂的句子，想必我们就应该清楚了：该句既不是it is…that…强调句省略that的现象，更不是省略that的同位语从句。它是一个多重复合句的复杂句子。

 【我的观点】

His writing is so confusing that it's difficult to make out what it is he is trying to express.

本句，make out 的宾语从句实际是一个强调句：what it is he is trying to express，省略了that，为了理解我把that 加上：

His writing is so confusing that it's difficult to make out what it is that he is trying to express.

翻译时，应把强调句的意思凸显出来：

His writing is so confusing that it's difficult to make out what it is he is trying to express.

【直译】他的写作思路是如此混乱，以至于很难弄清楚他到底想要表达什么。

强调句除了有陈述句式外，还有一般疑问句式、特殊疑问句式、感叹句式和否定句式几种类型。

强调句的特殊疑问句式

疑问词+ is (was) it + that +句子的其他成分，特殊疑问词即是被强调的成分。例如：

Who was it that found your pen in the classroom yesterday?

When was it (that) the Second World War broke out?

Where was it (that) you lost your cell phone?

How was it (that) he managed to get my address?

How long ago was it (that) you last saw her?

What was it that had made you so sad?　　

Why was it (that) silver was not widely used as conductor?　　

Which book is it (that) you want?　　

Whose umbrella was it (that)you took away?

What is it that he is trying to express?

注意蓝色的句子，把它变成间接疑问句，就是问题中的句子。由于强调句做了make out 的宾语从句，所以语序为正常语序：make out what it is that he is trying to express.

又如：

I want to know what it is (that) you want to buy.

I don’t know how it was (that) he managed to get my address.