浅谈现代英语中的定语前移趋向

The Brief Analysis on Switch-to-the-front-position Tendency in Modern English

现代英语发展的总趋向是由繁到简,即力求以比较简单的结构最大限度地表达思想。英语由繁到简地演化途径有若干种,其中一种频繁出现并引起语言界愈加关注的语言现象是英语的定语前移趋向(switch-to-the-front-position tendency)。三种定语前移方式,即:由介词短语转化来的前移定语,由定语从句转化来的前移定语,由整个句子转化来的前移定语。其文体效应可概括为形象生动,幽默诙谐和凝练紧凑。

Nowadays, the main tendency of the development of modern English is from complex to simplification, that is to say one should express his ideas through simple structure. There are several ways of evolution from complex to simplification in English language. One of the phenomena that emerges frequently and draws attention in language fields is switch - to- the- front- position tendency. This article will simply discuss three kinds of ways of switch - to - the front - position. That is from prepositional phrase to pre- modifier, from attributive clause to pre- modifier and from the whole sentence to pre- modifier. Switch - to- the front- position tendency has appropriate style effect, including vivid- ness, humor and succinctness.