5 修饰evidence的同位语的逻辑问题

The police have found a rifle in his house,which is a strong evidence that he is the man who commited the slaughter.


本句中that引导的从句很明显是evidence的同位语从句。但是学生有一个疑惑,这个同位语从句并不是evidence的内容,evidence的内容不应该是“rifle”吗?“证据”是论据而不是论点啊,that同位语很明显是论点而不是论据,毕竟在法庭上,evidence只能是“rifle”而不是“ he is the man who commited the slaughter”。所以这里的同位语是否是说明evidence的属性,而不是说明evidence的内容?


希望老师解惑,谢谢!

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最佳答案 2020-11-21 15:33

1 有些英语动词后接that从句作宾语,这些动词的同源名词仍然与that从句保持搭配关系。例如:

The law requests that parents shoud send their children to school.

They ignored the request by the law that parents shoud send their children to school.

第二句中的that从句为名词性从句,解释名词request. 传统语法把这种that从句分析为同位语从句。因为如果名词A与名词或名词性结构B之间存在A is B 或A = B 的关系,那么A和B就是同位关系,B是A的同位语。The request is that parents shoud send their children to school.逻辑成立,所以传统语法把这个that从句分析为request的同位语从句是没有问题的。类似的动词的同源名词后接that从句按照同位语从句分析通常都是成立的。例如order,agreement, indication, suggestion, advice, require等后接that从句都可以分析为同位语从句。

2 但evidence这个动词特别。作为动词,evidence为正式语体用词,而且很少在主动句中被用作谓语动词,通常用于被动句,尤其用于as (is) evidenced by这个结构中。另外也可见到其现在分词后接that从句,即evidencing that...在句子中作状语或非限制性定语。如果你查词典,就可以知道evidence为及物动词,可以后接名词或that从句作宾语。其词义为:to show that something exists or is true。 以下为COCA语料库evidence作为动词后接that从句的例句(现在分词用法):

The second article in the 1914 issue, titled " Shall the Pimas Be Robbed of Water? " is a more sympathetic and informed essay (at least, compared to Oskison's), evidencing that the time of famine persists even in a so-called Progressive Era.

An occupying co-borrower may be considered for HAMP if a quitclaim deed evidencing that the non-occupying co-borrower has relinquished all rights to the property has been recorded.

Further, those attacking FNC and its viewership are evidencing that they are in the 50% he was speaking of. " Document of title " includes bill of lading, dock warrant, dock receipt, warehouse receipt or order for the delivery of goods, and also any other document which in the regular course of business or financing is treated as adequately evidencing that the person in possession of it is entitled to receive, hold, and dispose of the document and the goods it covers.

3 作为名词,evidence的语义之一为: something which shows that something else exists or is true。 可以后接介词of/for, 或者后接that从句。其中介词of 和that从句都是表示动宾关系。例如词典例句:

At present we have no evidence of life on other planets.

Do you have evidence that this treatment works?

我把这后一个句子演绎一下:

Tom's disease has been cured, evidencing that this treatment works.

Tom‘s being cured is the evidence that this treatment works.

在这个句子中,Tom's being cured 和 the evidence为同位关系。that从句与evidence并不是同位关系。因为不存在 The evidence is that this treatment works 或者 That this treatment works is the evidence. 所以,从同位语的定义出发,就可以排除that从句是evidence的同位语。

问题是,如果that从句不是同位语,但它显然又是解释名词evidence的,总不能说that从句是定语从句,因为根据传统语法,定语从句是指关系代词或关系副词引导的从句。而这里that显然是从属连词,引导名词性从句。that引导名词性从句,它不是主语从句,不是宾语从句,不是表语从句,不是同位语从句。这在传统语法体系内,that从句就无成分可作了。于是,这个that从句就被勉强的按照同位语从句分析了,理由是它是名词性从句,它解释一个名词。

现代语法则不同。一个动词与不定式、that从句或介词短语有固定搭配关系,该动词的同源名词如果还是与不定式、that从句或介词短语保持这种搭配关系时,现代语法把与该同源名词搭配的不定式、that从句或介词短语一律分析为名词的补足语(不是修饰语或者定语)。所以,evidence后接that从句,在现代语法分析为名词的补足语,(逻辑上that从句与名词的同源动词为动宾关系)。

我写一个句子: I have the evidence, the propert ownership certificate, that I am the owner of this house.

按照现代语法分析,the property ownership certificate为evidence的同位语,that从句为evidence的补足语。句子分析没有问题。

这个句子再改动一下:

This property ownership certificate is the evidence that I am the owner of this house.

这就和你的句子结构相同了。

这个句子按照传统语法分析,that从句是难以分析的。传统语法把that从句分析为同位语从句,现代语法分析为名词的补足语(与evidence的同源动词为动宾关系)。孰优孰劣,你自己判断。

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刘永科   - 教育出版集团英语总顾问 & 英语系列图书主编
擅长:语法理论,语言学,文化背景

The police have found a rifle in his house, which is a strong evidence that he is the man who commited the slaughter.
which 引导非限制性定语从句,可以指代整个主句。这样,就排除了你的疑惑。可以这样理解句子:
警察在他家里发现了一只步枪,这强有力地证明了他就是实施屠杀的人。

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  • SgtMitchell 提出于 2020-11-20 14:45