There is said to be an election this week.根据曹老师的定义,there 是形式主语,be是不及物动词,表示存在那么这个句子还是存在句吗,因为这个句子的谓语动词是is said 吧?
Huddleston在《剑桥语法》中对这类结构(提升主语结构)做了很好的说明。
所谓提升主语,是指一个分句的主语被提升到高一级的分句中作了主语。例如:
It seems that he is right.
这个句子中,seems是主句的谓语,he是that从句的主语。我们可以把that从句的主语he提升到主句,作主句的主语,从句的谓语改为不定式结构,就得到:
He seems to be right.
再如:
It is said that Tom has written a new book.
将that从句的主语Tom提升为主句的主语,that从句的谓语改为不定式结构:
Tom is said to have written a new book.
there存在句也适合这种提升主语结构。例如
It is believed that there is no water on Mars. (现代语法认为there是代词,和it一样,都是dummy subject. 汉语翻译出来就是形式主语。章振邦在《新编高级英语语法》中已经论证了这一点,有兴趣的可以参读。)that从句的主语there提升到主句作主语,则得到:
There is believed to be no water on Mars.
允许将that从句主语提升为主句主语的动词,称为提升动词(raising verbs). 《剑桥英语》给出了常见的提升动词。
至于There is said to be an election this week.这个句子还是不是存在句,我们先将它还原为普通的句子,看它是不是存在句。
It is said that there will be an election this week. 这个句子是不是存在句呢?答案是:that从句是存在句,但主句不是。主句表示从句的内容只是人们说的、想的、认为的、看上去像的等。
其对应的提升主语结构将that从句与主句合并成了一个简单句,其限定动词词组的作用类似于情态动词的作用,故这种提升主语结构似应分析为复合谓语结构。所以,我认为there提升主语结构仍然可以分析为存在句的一种变式。
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There is said to be an election this week.
▲ 这里,there 不是“形式主语”,至多是一个“虚拟主语”。真正的主语在后面:an election。
我们通常说的 There be 存在句,一般认为,there 只是起引导作用,没有实际意义。因为句子的主语在 be 之后,而且 be 的单复数是由后面的主语决定,而非由 there 决定。剑桥出版的《当代英语语法》 (English Grammar Today) 把 there 称为 dummy subject(虚拟主语)。
there 虽然只起引导作用,但在句子结构中,它充当了虚拟主语(dummy subject)。
▲ there be 句型,如果充当了某个及物动词的宾语从句,那么,这个及物动词,一般可以有如下句型转换。例如:
1. People say that there will be an election this week.
→ It is said that there will be an election this week.
→ There is said to be an election this week.
2. The media report that there is oil under that desert.
→It is reported that there is oil under that desert.
→There is reported to be oil under that desert.
3. People expect that there will be a keen fight in the local elections.
→It is expected that there will be a keen fight in the local elections.
→There is expected to be a keen fight in the local elections.
▲ 据我所知,具有该用法的动词是比较有限的,如:say, report, expect, think, believe, suppose, understand 等。
1. There is/are said to be... 据说有......
2. There is/are reported to be... 据报道有......
3. There is/are expected to be... 预计有......
4. There is/are thought to be... 人们认为有......
5. There is/are believed to be... 人们认为有......
6. There is/are supposed to be...人们认为有......
7. There is/are understood to be... 人们都知道有......
▲【注意】
1. 由于There 在此只引导作用,所以,用 is 还是are 要视后面主语的单复数而定。
2. There is said to be an election this week.
此句,不定式本身就表示将来,所以 will 不再出现,不能说:There will be said to be...
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