《新编高级英语语法》(A New Advanced English Grammar) (2012年12月第1版)的第47章第3节阐述了介词词组在句法功能上的歧义现象,并给出了三种测试方法来进行区分——移位法、被动法、to-be嵌入法。
然而,其给出的测试方法仅适用于其所列举的例句的结构,即: [ subject + transitive verb + object + prepositional phrase ]
对于系表结构中的介词词组的句法功能的歧义现象及其测试方法,其并没有加以说明。
不难发现,在 [ subject + linking verb + adjective/noun + prepositional phrase ] 这样的句子结构中,也存在着介词词组在句法功能上的歧义现象,既有可能充当选择性状语,在分句层面上修饰连系动词;也有可能充当形容词补足成分/名词的后置修饰语,在词组层次上修饰形容词/名词。
请教曹老师,对于系表结构中的介词词组,我们应该使用什么样的测试方法来进行区分?
例如下列例句中的介词词组among sb/sth,究竟是在分句层次充当选择性状语,还是在词组层次充当形容词补足成分/名词后置修饰语?
SV + adjective + PP:
She was the eldest among them.
Sharpton was foremost among the protesters.
Dickens was pre-eminent among English writers of his day.
I felt very inferior among all those academics.
SV + noun + PP:
She is a pearl among women.
He was a prince among men.
He was a rarity among Wall Street lawyers.
He was the only right-hander among his team’s top six batsmen.