英语句法问题二则

A Discussion on Two Problems in English Syntax

教学过程中遇到的两则英语句法问题值得商榷。其一 ,“Itwassowindythatitwasonlywithatremendouseffortwereweabletopitchatent”一句中的倒装 ,采取句型转换的方法 ,运用全息律、结构边界律、转换守恒律等规律 ,依据传统语法学说 ,可推断并说明该句中的倒装不仅绝无必要而且应调整为正序。其二 ,“Heprogressedveryquickly”一句中“progress”一词的运用 ,从名转动用、正向迁移等角度 ,可论证“progress”一词在该句中的运用并非词性与词义不统一。而且对名转动用这一客观语言现象 ,应从其赖以存在的深层机理 ,亦即其语义基础。

The two English syntax problems we came upon in teaching are worth discussing. First, based on the transformational method of sentence patterns, the Laws of Holograph, Structural Boundary and Transformational Conservation, and the traditional grammar theory, we can infer that the inversion in the sentence 'It was so windy that it was only with a tremendous effort were we able to pitch a tent' should not have occurred and it has to be adjusted to its normal order. Second, seen from the angle of N-V shift and positive transfer, the use of the word 'progress' in 'He progressed very quickly' has not resulted in the so-called disagreement of part of speech and meaning. Besides, from the angles of the semantic motivation, pragmatic inference and syntactic motivation when analyzing the N-Vshift phenomenon, we should give a multidimensional deploration and analysis.