英语状语、附语和补语的界定

Defining the English Adverbials,Adjuncts and Complements

传统英语语法体系中,状语是一个形式多样,位置灵活,功能不一,成员纷杂的句元。自功能语法学派提出附语这一句法范畴以来,状语和附语的关系成为一个语法学界引发分歧的问题。本文从功能的视角重新梳理传统英语语法中的状语,将其中对谓语或整个语句起修饰作用的可选句元称为附语,发现传统语法中被认定为状语的一些必有句元,由于其句法功能并非修饰谓语或整个语句,而是补充说明谓语,应被认定为补语。

In traditional English grammar,the adverbial is a clause element that takes various forms,is very flexible in word order,and is versatile in function. Since functional grammarians replaced it with the term adjunct,the relationship between adverbials and adjuncts has become a controversial issue. This essay reanalyzes the adverbials in traditional English grammar from a functional perspective and defines adjuncts as optional elements that modify the predicator or the whole clause. It argues that some obligatory elements traditionally labeled as adverbials are in fact complements because they do not serve to modify the predicator or the whole clause but complete the meaning of the predicator.