对THAN作关系代词之说的质疑

Queries about THAN Functioning as a Relative Pronoun

对于比较分句中than的功能的界定,语法界争论颇多。Than往往被当作连词或关系代词,或兼具两者的功能。对than功能的错误界定是因为比较分句中主语位置空缺,强拉than作关系代词的结果,是与as的功能进行错误类比的结果。Than不具备作关系代词的条件,than在比较分句中只起连词作用。

There have been controversies among grammarians about the function of THAN in comparative clauses. THAN is usually regarded as a relative pronoun as well as a conjunction. This paper seeks to prove that THAN cannot function as a relative pronoun and that it can only be a conjunction. THAN is taken for a relative pronoun because the subject of the comparative clause happens to be an empty slot and because it is wrongly compared with AS, which can function both as a relative pronoun and a conjunction.