The number of people who say they have no one with whom to discuss important matters has more than doubled.
这里的with whom是什么成分?
The number of people who say they have no one with whom to discuss important matters has more than doubled.
划线部分为修饰people的定语从句。红色部分为修饰no one的不定式短语。
介词+which+to do为带关系代词的不定式短语,这是正式语体形式。如果把介词移到不定式末尾,省略关系代词,就是普通的不定式了:to do (sth)+介词。
不定式作定语表示动宾(或介宾)关系,本质上是定语从句的简略形式。例如:
I have a letter to write
= I have a letter which I am to wirte.
I have something to talk about.
= I have something that I am to talk about.
I have something about which to talk.
= I have something about which I am to talk.
I have someone to discuss the matter with.
= I have someone who(m) I am to discuss the matter with.
I have someone with whom I am to discuss the matter.
定语从句中划线部分省略,就得到不定式作定语。由此也可以看出不定式作定语仍然是主动意义,而不是主动形式表示被动意义。
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who say they have no one with whom to discuss important matters是定语从句修饰people,其中with whom to discuss important matters也是定语修饰one,这是省略主语而用一个特殊的不定式短语(通常用主动式)代替或简化定语从句,不定式动作的执行者是people,即with whom to discuss... = with whom they can discuss...(whom指代one)。1984版高中英语第二册第14课“The Gifts”中就有类似的一个表达:
Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim, her husband, a present. 明天就是圣诞节了,她只有1美元87美分给她丈夫吉姆买礼物。(句中的with which to buy = with which she could buy)
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