网友的这个问题,其实是冠词省略。具体分析如下。有这样一句话: Their views of the relations between man and woman are limited. 他们这些人对于男女之间的关系的看法太狭隘了。 又如: a relationship between husband and wife a relationship between father and son a relationship between mother and daughter a relationship between master and servant a relationship between teacher and student from door to door 挨家挨户 from morning till night 从早到晚 from beginning to end 自始至终 from south to north 从南到北 首先提一下,《牛津英语用法指南》第69节第9条,曾经说过:“man 和 woman 与其他单数可数名词不同,表示泛指可以不用冠词。” ——这个说法很笼统,且没有说明原因。 我认为,关于 man 和 woman 之前不用冠词,可以说,这是一种省略现象。当两个词义有关联的可数名词用在一起时,为了表达上的简练,可以省缺冠词。这个现象应该看作是一种语言的规律,而不是个例。这不仅限于 man 和 woman(男女),可以延伸到更广的词语范围。例如:夫妻,父子,母女,上下,左右,头尾,早晚,南北,东西等等。尤其是,当两个相对或相似的名词用在from...to... 结构中,省略冠词是常态。现举例如下: husband and wife 夫妇 father and son 父子 mother and daughter 母女 master and servant 主仆 from door to door 挨家挨户 from morning till night 从早到晚 from beginning to end 自始至终 from south to north 从南到北 Husband and wife were similarly successful in their chosen careers.夫妇俩在各自所选择的事业上都很成功。 Father and son work in the same company. 爷儿俩在同一个公司工作。 They are husband and wife but not brother and sister. 他们是夫妻,不是兄妹。 The relation between teacher and student is not what it used to be. 老师和学生之间的关系已不是以前那样了。
除了上述两个因素外,我们还可以再找一个不用冠词的理由。葛传槼先生在其《惯用法》里有这样的描述:成双成对或3个以上有“并列、对比关系”的名词连用时,可以省略冠词(包括省略不定冠词和定冠词)。例如: The relations between parent and child are excellent. Doctor, nurse and patient have become the best friends. He was printer, publisher and editor before 1949.