正文

Ⅲ形容词、副词(2)

英文疑难详解 作者:钱歌川


(a)The scenery here is the most picturesque in this neighborhood.(这儿的风景是附近一带最美的。)

(b)The view from the mountain top was most picturesque.(从山顶望去风景极美。)

(c)It was a most picturesque scenery.(那是一片非常美的风景。)此外most一字作“大多数的”,“大抵的”解时,也不加the,例如most students of this school are dayscholars.Some come to school by train or by bus,and others by bicycle,but most of them on foot.

当我们用相对最上级时,如果要把语气再加强或稍减弱的话,又要怎样来说呢?比方中国话的“他算是我们班上最优秀的学生”,没有肯定说他确是,而只说他算是,英文就可以译作:He is about the brightest boy in our class.若果想要再说得漂亮一点,等于舞弄文字的话,就不妨用practically一字。这字比about好,在字面上看去是似褒实贬的一个实用的字,因它除“实际上”一解之外,还有“差不多”(almost)的意思,例如He is practically dead.=He is as good as dead.(他简直像死了一样。)There is practically nothing left.(差不多没有剩下什么。)She is practically the most beautiful girl in our town.(她大概是我们城里最美的姑娘了。)反之,我们如果要在最上级时再加强语气的话,就可用much或by far的字眼,如He is much the brightest boy in our class.(他确是我们班上最最优秀的学生。)

英文表示最上级有happiest,the happiest,most happy,most happily种种说法,用时必须仔细加以分别。 31.副词最上级前加冠词的用法

英文副词正常的比较,为soon,sooner,soonest;及wisely,more wisely,most wisely两种形式,但在书上又发现最上级的副词前面,居然也附加定冠词the,请说明这种用法。

【解答】副词的最上级普通诚然是不加冠词的,不过确是常见有人加用,照美国文法家Curme说,这种用法在口语中极为普遍,笔下也时常见到,副词最上级前加the,是作为宾格意味的副词而用的。例如: Of all my books I like this the best.——Dickens

(在我写的所有的书当中,我最喜欢这本。)

It is impossible to say whose eyes would be the widest opened.——Henry Arthur Jones

(要说出谁的眼睛睁得最大是不可能的。)

Frits works the hardest of all.

(在所有的人中胡理之最用功。)

John played badly,Tom played worse,and Harry played the worst.

(约翰玩得坏,托孟更坏,哈利最坏。)这种用法,现在甚至扩大到了比较级,不限于最上级了,例如:

他跑得更快。

He runs the faster.

鲁斯说不出来她更喜欢哪一个。

Ruth could not tell which she liked the better. Ⅳ冠词

54.选举的总统名词前不用冠词,议员前须加冠词

“他被选为议员。”译成英文为:He was elected councilman.据说是错误的,为何“他被选为市长。”译作He was elected mayor.又对了呢?

【解答】“他被选为议员。”应译作He was elected a councilman.才对,译文中的不定冠词是不可少的。举凡市议会(city council),立法议会(legislative council),乃至美国的国会即众议院(Congress),英国的议会(Parliament)等处的议员在英译时都要加不定冠词,说成a councilman,a congressman,an M.P.(即a member of Parliament)。而翻译某人被选为总统、市长、主席等时,就不要加上冠词,例如: Washington was elected president of the United States of America.(华盛顿被选为美国的总统。)

He was elected chairman.(他被选为主席。)

He is appointed Deputy Postal Commissioner.(他被任为副邮务长。)


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