由于网站改版，导致个别内容错位、显示不完整。以下解答是 Beachy 老师在原站的解答，由管理员整理复制过来。谢谢 Beachy 老师对本站的大力支持！

2014-6-21 19:03:00     

The Distance of the Sun from the Earth

=The Distance from the Earth to the Sun

例：The distance from the sun to the earth is90.0 million miles.

2014-6-24 9:26:00

眼看问题就到期了，本想拜读下其他老师的观点。还是我来谈点不成熟的意见吧：

▲distance 这个词似乎有点怪异，它可以与from/ to分别连用，也可以同时与二者连用，可是一旦同时连用，就似乎又不可分割：

It is important to consider the distancefrom public transport.考虑与公交系统的距离很重要。

They started to walk the distance to thecamp.他们踏上了去营地的那段小路。

The distance of the station from my houseis two kilometers.从我家到车站的距离是两公里。

The Distance of the Sun from the Earth （从）地球到太阳的距离

为何？因为，所谓距离，当然指【两点之距】，如果我们把交际人自身或双方共知的某一时空点看做为其中一点，当然就可以只用一个表达另一时空点的标志词“from/ to”即可。可是，如果我们不把交际自身看做一个点而同时给出具体的身外的两个点，那么其自然就具备了无可分割的特性，不然就有损其意义的完整性。

▲值得注意的是，我们似乎可以把of 看做替换介词，我认为可能正是of的这种广为忽略的【可替换功能】才导致这种结构的特异性：

the distance of love 似乎与 the distance to / from love 并没有太大的区别（爱与自身心灵的距离/ 爱的距离/ 心灵到或离爱的距离）。

实际上我发现 of 的这种替代性功能主要表现在其对【时间/ 地点/ 范围】介词的替代上：

1. It’s 5minutes of 2.= It’s 5 minutes before/ to 2. 现在是1点55分。（代替表【时间】的介词to/ before）

2. Of the two,I prefer apples to oranges. / Of all the jobs I’ve had, this one is the best.

以上2例来自《NTC美语学习词典》p620, 尽管我没见过of在此场合下被 between/ among 替代的实例，可是该词典明确指出这种情况下of的意思即为：between (two); among (more than two). (这里of意义为表【范围】的介词 between / among)

3. I generally do the gardening of a Sunday. = (本人按：I generally do the gardening on Sundays.) 我通常在星期天干园艺活。(这里of 意为表【时间】的介词on)。此句来自《麦克米兰高阶》p1437

4. the distance of love 基本意义同 the distance to / from love（这里of 意为表抽象【地点】的介词to/from）

▲更多参考例句：

It was over twice the distance of the earthfrom the sun.那是地球到太阳的距离的两倍多。

This property represents the distance ofthe point from its origin.该属性表示从原点到该点之间的距离。

The distance of the earthquake fromChengdu, which has 10million residents, helped prevent more extensive damage.成都到震区（即汶川）的距离保护了这座有一千万居民的城市（即成都），避免了灾情的蔓延。

Wish the distance of heart and nature more andmore close, wish to be embraced by nature, where we can be drunk in its warmatmosphere slowly.渴望心与自然的距离一再接近，渴望自然的拥抱，在它温柔的气息里慢慢沉醉。

▲【结论】综上我认为该问题实际上可用of的【替代性功能】来解释，即：

The Distance of the Sun from the Earth = The Distance to the Sun from the Earth = TheDistance from the Earth to the Sun The Distance between the Sun and the Earth从地球到太阳的距离从地球到太阳的距离

【建议】这种用法似乎并不多见，尤其是词典中。因此，我的建议是：理解即可。模仿不宜。当然还有其他解释这种现象的方法角度，这是最简单的。

个人观点，仅供参考，若蒙引述，请着出处，谢谢。

2014-6-25 16:05:00

您可能没有注意我所用的字眼，【可分析为普通的介短作后置定语】，即他并没有排除其他分析方式的可能性，我说的仅仅是一种分析方式，汝不闻条条大路通罗马哉。跟您介绍一篇专门论述此谚语的老外写的文章吧：

Below is a free essay on “Friend” from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples.

Friends In Need Are Good Friends Indeed

Good friends are a great fortune in life. Having good friends around makes you feel greater and happier than you really are. I think a good friendship is a combination of respecting, helping and valuing each other in a special way. But, most of friendships are proved in bad situations. Unfortunately, a bad situation made me and my friends consider each-other as “best friends.”

This is one of the phrases in the language that is interesting because there are various interpretations of the meaning. Firstly, is it “a friend in need is a friend indeed” or “a friend in need is a friend in deed”. Clearly, that would have a bearing on the meaning.

The “in need” is also open to interpretation—is it “a friend (when you are) in need” or “a friend (who is) in need”. If the former, then the phrase means: “someone who helps you when you are in need is a true friend”. If the latter, it is 'someone who needs your help becomes especially friendly in order to obtain it'.

So, that gives us four options:

1. A friend, (when you are) in need, is indeed a true friend. (“indeed”)

2. A friend, (when you are) in need, is someone who is prepared to act to show it (“in deed”)

3. A friend, (who is) in need, is indeed a true friend. (“indeed”)

4. A friend, (who is) in need, is someone who is prepared to act to show it (“in deed”)

The original meaning can be resolved to some degree by the documentary evidence - see below. Nevertheless, there is noun ambiguous right or wrong here and this is a phrase that we probably infer the meaning of from context when we first hear it. Whichever of the above options we initially elect for will cement our understanding of the phrase; probably forever, if the vehemence of the mutually contradictory mails I get on this subject are anything to go by.

Friend is someone who is not afraid to correct you or advice you.

2014-6-25 16:14:00     

Origin

A version of this proverb was known by the 3rd century BC. Quintus Ennius wrote: “Amicu certus in re incerta cernitur”. This translates from the Latin as “a sure friend is known when in difficulty”.

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations lists it as existing in English from the 11th century. The earliest version I can find is from Caxton's Sonnes of Aymon, 1489:

“It is sayd, that at the nede thefrende is knowen.”

The morality play Everyman also contains similar lines. The play's date is uncertain and scholars place it as “late 15thcentury”, which could be before Caxton's work:

Fellowship: Sir, I say as I will do indeed.

Everyman: Then be you a good friend at need;

By the 16th century, when the proverb was recorded in John Heywood's A Dialogue Conteynyng Prouerbes and Epigrammes, 1562:

2014-6-25 16:23:00     

我不怎么赞同用很古老的谚语来学习语法。岁月如刀，许多语言的原本面目早已淹没在滚滚红尘之中。即使是我们现在看起来似乎没有争议甚至是天经地义之事可能实际上也并非如此。比如您举的这个例子。许多英美人士并不认为它就是【患难见真情】之意，它可能还有别的内含：

1. 需要人帮忙的人会对你特别友好因为他需要得到帮忙；

2. 如果一个朋友有困难，而我又愿意帮他，说明他是我的真朋友，那些我不愿意帮的，说明我没把他们当真朋友。