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作为有丰富形态变化的综合型语言,英语句子中的谓语动词要受到很多形态变化规则的约束,使用时有很多不便,所以一般每个句子只有ー个谓语动词。英语中很多名词都是从动词变化而来,具有动态的含义, 而且形态变化相对简单,常常用来表示动作,含有动作、行为、变化、状态、品质、情感等概念,因此,名词化(nominalization)就成为英语的一大特点。这ー特点在书面语及学术文体中表现得更为突出,构成了以静态为主的语言特征。这就是所谓的“名词优势于动词” (preponderance of nouns over verbs), 例如:“You can rectify the fault if you insert a wedge.”(嵌入一个禊子, 就可以纠正误差。)在科技文体中,这句话会改为:“Rectification of this fault can be achieved by insertion of a wedge。同样,“He failed in this exam, so he felt disheartened.”(他这次考试小及格,因而很沮丧。)在书面语中,这个复合句结构使用名词化的方法,可以改为简单句结构:“His failure in the exam made him disheartened.”由此可见,这种名词优势可以使表达简洁精练,在正式文体中,更能体现出庄重感和科学性。
英语名词主导的另ー个重要表现是偏好使用抽象名词,抽象名词在科技语体中出现频率较髙。例如:
A frequent subsection of this problem section is a review of past research on the topic being investigated. This would consist of summaries of the contributions of previous researchers to the question under consideration with some assessment of the value of these contributions. This subsection has rhetorical usefulness in that it enhances the credibility of the researcher by indicating that the data presented is based on a thorough knowledge of what has been done in the field and, possibly, grows out of some investigative tradition.
在这样ー个短小的段落中,抽象名词达十余个,使用的名词比汉语要多,名词化特点非常明显。英语中的许多抽象名词,在汉语中一般是用其他形式来表达的。例如: