英語表達中逗號的妙用

摘 要：逗號作為英語書面語的一個重要結構表達方式，在英語書面語中使用相當頻繁，構成英語的長句，備受以英語為母語人士的青睞。受漢語母語的干擾，在用英文進行表達時，學生往往不能正確理解和使用英語的逗號。本文作者闡述英語逗號的使用的六種技巧及其所產生的語義功能。

關鍵詞：逗號妙用 技巧 語義功能

逗號的妙用指的就是分句之間的銜接與連貫問題。句式的復雜多變要求我們在用英語進行表達時既要有簡單句、并列句又要有復合句甚至復雜復合句。要構造句子結構的復雜多變就必須講究分句間的銜接與連貫問題。逗號的妙用實質就是逗號后/前分句間銜接與連貫的六種技巧。

一、非限制性定語從句的使用。例如：

1. Nowadays， the call for quality-oriented education is becoming widespread and the drawbacks of test-oriented education， which have aroused great concern throughout China， are becoming increasingly apparent.

2. The sharp contrast hinges on the protection of the green house， which determines in a large measure the life and death of the lovely flower.

3. This trend began during the Second World War， when several governments came to the conclusion that the specific demands that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment cannot generally be foreseen in detail.

逗號前后是我們表達構造復雜多變、精彩生動句子結構的突破口。上述三例中我們合理巧妙地運用了非限制性定語從句，使前后兩個分句有機地連接起來，顯得連貫、自然。例1用關系代詞which（非限制性定語從句不能用that）代替逗號前整個分句的意思。這樣就把原本要用兩個句子來表達的信息通過定語從句壓縮為一個主從復合句，顯得簡潔、不羅嗦。例2用關系代詞which代替逗號前先行詞the green house，通過非限制性定語從句進一步說明溫室對于鮮花存活的重要性。例3中逗號前先行詞是表時間，因此用關系代詞when引導非限制性定語從句，將主要信息移置逗號之后，取得“尾重”或“末尾聚焦(end-weight)”的效果。其實學生對于非限制性定語從句的用法不可謂不熟，但可能就是缺乏用多種手段銜接分句的意識。

二、非謂語動詞做狀語的使用。例如：

1． By contrast， when removed from the green house， the protective umbrella， it struggles helplessly against the sudden attack of storms， only to wither away.

2． Parents are too eager to mold their kids， disregarding their individuality with a callous attitude toward their personal development.

3． School-age children are often seen carrying bulging bags on their backs， weighed down on their way to and from school every day.

非謂語動詞有四種表現形式，即動詞不定式、現在分詞、過去分詞和動名詞。利用這幾種非謂語動詞形式（動名詞不能做狀語除外）做狀語，能很好地突出信息，取得信息“末尾聚焦(end-weight)”的效果。例1用only加動詞不定式表示出乎意料的結果，做結果狀語。從而將備受溺愛的孩子們不更世事、不堪一擊的慘狀和盤托出。例2用現在分詞做結果狀語，表示一種必然的發展趨勢，即結果在意料之中。例3用過去分詞做伴隨狀語，將飽受應試教育摧殘的學齡兒童那苦不堪言的情形栩栩如生地勾勒了出來，辛辣的嘲諷宛然可見。當然這幾種非謂語動詞形式也可放在逗號前面——分句或句子中間，如：

4. Weighing both these arguments， I can come to the conclusion that there is no need to take so drastic a step as doing away with this custom. (現在分詞做時間狀語)

5. An old peasant， bringing his own food， volunteered as a guild for us.（現在分詞做伴隨狀語）

非謂語動詞做狀語到底放在前還是后似乎沒有絕對的要求。但一般來說，做伴隨狀語時可前可后；做原因狀語時放在前面較多，間或放在后面；做時間狀語時一般放在句子前部；做結果狀語時一般放在后半分句；做條件狀語時一般放在前面分句，等等。

三、同位語或插入語的使用。例如：

1. As is distinct from above， the number “13”， a long-held symbol of bad omen in the eyes of most westerners， seems to be plaguing them.

2. By contrast， when removed from the green house， the protective umbrella，

it struggles helplessly against the sudden attack of storms， only to wither away.

3. Specifically， the number “6”， as they strongly believe， is closely associated with smoothness in the Chinese culture.

同位語或插入語一般插在主謂語之間，一般由名詞詞組（如例1、2）、介詞詞組（如in my opinion， in other words等）、從句（如例3）、不定式短語、現在分詞短語充當。它們能起到補充說明的作用。除此之外，插入語還可對整句話表示解釋，如：

4. There were twenty people present， to be precise.（不定式短語做插入語）

5.Roughly speaking， these countries are the most densely-populated in Asia.（現在分詞短語做插入

語）

四、With結構的使用。例如：

1．We now live in a society where competition in the job market rages， with graduates and job-hunters from all walks of life scrambling for desirable jobs.

2． As described in the picture， an American girl is wearing a Chinese costume characteristic of some minority group， with a sweet smile on her face.

3． These children can set their hearts at ease， with everything well- arranged by their parents.

4． With education on all sides being enforced， our young college students will grow up to be qualified not only in their fields but， more importantly， in moral cultivation.

5.He entered upon the new enterprise cautiously， with his eyes wide open.

With結構總的說來有五種形式，即：With+名（代）詞+現在分詞（如例1、4），With+名（代）詞+過去分詞（如例3），With+名（代）詞+介詞短語（如例2），With+名（代）詞+副詞或形容詞（如例5），With+名（代）詞+不定式。With結構可表原因（如例1、3）、伴隨或方式（如例2、5）、條件（如例4）等。

五、獨立主格結構的使用。例如：

1. Rosy dreams shattered， they are bewildering at the junction: “To be or not to be? That is a question”—— Hamlet’s perplexed monologue are echoing in their ears.

2. “Just listen to this，” she will say， her eyes glowing， her warm fingers pressed to my palm to hold my attention.

3. The U.S. population expanding dramatically， the species of its wildlife has witnessed a corresponding decline in a span of two centuries (1800-2000).

4. He went off， gun in hand.

5. The floor wet and slippery， we stayed outside.

6. The meal over， prayers were read by Miss Miller.

兩個或兩個以上分句間如果主語不一致時要用獨立主格結構。所謂“獨立主格結構”實質就是帶自己主語的非限定分句和無動詞分句。它按結構形式分為不定式“獨立結構”、-ing 分詞“獨立結構”（如例2、3）、-ed分詞“獨立結構”（如例1、2）和無動詞“獨立結構”，即名（代）詞+介詞短語(如例4)、名（代）詞+副詞(如例6)或形容詞（如例5）。

六、形容詞做狀語的使用。例如：

1．Disillusioned and disheartened， they are most likely to be collapsed under the weight of life.

2．Living in the warm nestle， safe and sound， they are utterly free from external hardships and ignorant of what the bare reality is like.

3．They swarm into the job market， curious and excited.

形容詞常可單獨或引起短語做狀語，可用來表示原因（如例1）、方式（如例2、3）等。

形容詞做狀語位置比較靈活，可前可后或插在句中。

誠然，學生在真正使用英語表達（翻譯、寫作）不可能有過多的時間和精力去仔細揣磨每一字句，不可能錙銖必較。況且，語言表達的技巧又五花八門，其變化多樣遠非本文所能窮盡。但是，正所謂“臺上一分鐘，臺下十年功”，若在平時的訓練中能夠有上述語言表達技巧意識和不斷探索挖掘新的表達技巧意識，那必將大有裨益。長此以往，則能學會比較地道的英文表達。

參考文獻：

[1]李經緯.英語標點符號用法指南[M].北京：金盾出版社.

[2]Gordon Jarvie.錢伯斯英語標點符號用法指南(英).北京：世界圖書出版公司.

[3]彭瑞娟.英語逗號功能初探[J].山東：中國成人教育，2003，（6）.

[4]孫其標.大學英語寫作中標點的使用[J].安徽：安徽工業大學學報（社科版），2004，（5）.