6 《剑桥英语语法》中 singular override 的具体含义等两个问题

曹老师您好,看到您前几天回复网友的问题one of后的定语从句的先行词。关于这个结构,我有两处问题。

我在《剑桥英语语法》第 506 页遇到“singular override”不知如何翻译和理解。这是问题

Where it is the subject that is relativised, the expectation would be that the number of the verb would be determined by the antecedent, giving a plural verb in Type I, and a singular in Type II. In practice, however, singular verbs are often found as alternants of plurals in Type I:

[22] i He’s [one of those people who always want to have the last word].

ii He’s [one of those people who always wants to have the last word]. [Type I](含 i ii

iii He’s [one of her colleagues who is always ready to criticize her].   [Type II] 

Examples [i] and [iii] follow the ordinary rules, but [ii] involves a singular override. It can presumably be attributed to the salience within the whole structure of one and to influence of the Type II structure (it is in effect a blend between Types I and II). But it cannot be regarded as a semantically motivated override: semantically the relative cause modifies people. This singular override is most common when the relative clause follows those or those + noun.】

问题:《剑》这段的意思是不是:先行项是 those 或者限定词 those+复数名词时,关系分句动词用单数时最常见。而其他情况下,要从语义判断先行项是 one 还是 of 后的复数名词,才好确定关系分句中动词的单复数?    

非常感谢!

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最佳答案 2021-04-02 20:18

override在《剑桥》这里指尽管主语为单数,谓语动词也用复数形式(plural override),或者尽管主语为复数,谓语动词也用单数形式(singular override)。例如:

Three days is not a long time. 主语为复数形式,谓语动词用is。这就是singular override

A number of people are waiting. 主语的中心词为单数number,但谓语动词用 are,这就是所谓plural override.

国内英语语法书没有override完全对应的翻译。但类似于根据语义原则分别采用单数或复数谓语动词。国内语法书讲主谓一致时,有三个原则:语法一致原则,语义一致原则和就近原则singular/plural override类似于语义一致原则。

 

one of +特指限定词+复数名词+定语从句结构中,定语从句可能修饰one, 也可能修饰复数名词。国内语法书通常认为,如果one前有the verythe only修饰,则定语从句是修饰one的,从句谓语用单数。否则,定语从句是修饰复数名词的,谓语动词用复数。实际上,即使one前面没有the very the only, 定语从句也有可能是修饰one的,此时谓语动词还是应该用单数形式。这都是语法一致原则。

 

ii He’s [one of those people who always wants to have the last word]. [Type I](含 i ii

该书的这个例句告诉我们,在实际语言应用中,尽管语义上定语从句修饰的是复数名词those people, 也有人用单数谓语动词wants. 这种用法的原因有二,第一是为了突出one, 第二是受了先行词为one而从句用单数谓语的影响。这个句子中的singular override就不能理解为根据语义原则用了单数,因为显然定语从句还是修饰those people的。我个人认为这种用法起初是一种错误,犯错误的人多了而被语法家们接受。这里并没有those后面要用或多用单数的意思,而是说单数谓语多见于先行词为those或被those限定的情况下。谓语用复数还是更为正确的。


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  • 一起森巴舞   提出于 2021-04-02 16:47