在用英語表達復雜信息時,我們除了運用結構復雜的句子之外,還可以使用獨立主格結構。獨立主格結構往往淵源于并列句、狀語從句等。那么,什么是獨立主格結構?它是怎樣由省略的方式發展而來的呢?
一、獨立主格結構的含義及其特點
1.含義。獨立主格結構是指一種具有獨立的邏輯主語,且無連詞也無謂語,能夠表達相對完整語意的狀語結構,它由逗號與中心句隔開。獨立主格結構的公式是:“名詞或主格代詞+名形介副非謂語。”這里的“名形介副非謂語”是指起著補語作用的名詞、形容詞、介詞短語、副詞、非謂語動詞(to do, doing,done),補充說明某個人或物的位置、狀態或動作特征。
2.特點。根據上述獨立主格結構的定義,我們知道獨立主格結構應同時具備以下五個特點:獨立的邏輯主語;無連詞無謂語;語意相對完整;由逗號與中心句隔開;作狀語。例如,Tom being ill,mother had to stay at home and look after him. 句中的獨立主格結構“Tom being ill”具有自己獨立的主語Tom(而不是Mother),非謂語動詞結構being ill作為補語,補充說明Tom的狀態;它與主句之間沒有連詞連接,只是由起語音停頓作用的逗號隔開;整個結構表達了“湯姆生病”這樣一個相對完整的語意;該結構作為狀語,表述了“母親必須呆在家照看他”的原因。
3.獨立主格結構在句中的位置很靈活,依據語意邏輯和表達需要,它可以位于中心句之前、之中或之后。根據定義,獨立主格結構在句中只能起一種作用,即狀語,表示主句所述事情發生的時間、原因、伴隨、條件、方式等。
我們以名詞作邏輯主語為例,來說明獨立主格結構的作用及其不同表達式和位置:
(1)名詞+名詞:I received many gifts,many of them books.(伴隨狀語)
(2)名詞+形容詞:The Trojans asleep, the soldiers crept out.(時間狀語)
(3)名詞+介詞短語:Our English teacher came in, no book in hand.(伴隨狀語)
(4)名詞+副詞:Marry out, I couldn’t get her help.(原因狀語)
(5)名詞+to do:Lots of work to do,I have to stay home all day.(原因狀語)
(6)名詞+doing: Weather permitting, we will go outing tomorrow.(條件狀語)
(7)名詞+done:She listened to the lecture, all her attention fixed upon it.(方式狀語)
在表示“存在有”概念時,我們可以使用there be句型的獨立主格結構There being...例如:There being no time left, we had to speed up.
4.在應用獨立主格結構時,我們經常遇到being和having been 是否可以省略的問題。一般來說,當補語為形容詞、介詞短語、副詞、過去分詞等時,該結構中的being和having been 都可以省略,例如:
All the windows(being) open, the air in the room is much fresher.
All the tickets(having been)sold out, we had to wait for the next show.
但是,以下兩種情況下,being和having been不可省略:一是表示“正在被”的being done 結構;二是邏輯主語為it,there時。例如:
Food being cooked,I fell asleep.
It being bad,we will put off holding the sports meeting.
There being/having been no bus, we had to walk home.
二、獨立主格結構的淵源
獨立主格結構是由并列分句、狀語從句、作狀語的with復合結構等通過省略的方式發展而來。
1.當并列分句的主語不一致,或狀語從句的主語與主句的主語不一致時,將該分句或從句的連詞省去,同時將其謂語動詞變成非謂語(其中,be動詞又可以直接省略),即可得到獨立主格結構。例如:
(1)The boy was knocked down and blood streamed down his head.
→The boy was knocked down, blood streaming down his head.(由第二個并列分句而來)
(2)If such is the case, we can go home now.
→Such being the case, we can go home now. (由條件狀語從句省略而來)
2.作狀語的with復合結構也可以通過省略方式形成獨立主格結構。with復合結構的公式是“with/without+復合賓語”,即“with+賓語+賓補(名形介副非謂語)”。對于with復合結構變成獨立主格結構的問題,我們要注意以下兩點:一是with復合結構作定語或狀語,只有該結構作狀語時才可以轉化成獨立主格結構;二是轉化方法,去掉介詞with,同時將賓語形式變成主語形式。例如:
(1)With the task finished, they went out for lunch. (with + 名詞+ done,時間或原因狀語)
→Time going by,you’ll realize the importance of knowledge.
(2)Without anybody noticing, he stole into the room.(with +代詞+doing,時間或伴隨狀語)
→ Nobody noticing, he stole into the room. (注意:在去掉without時,應保留否定含義)
(3)With his first shot failure, he fired again. (with+名詞+名詞,時間或原因狀語)
→His first shot failure, he fired again.