上次我們舉出一英文例子,說它用了幾個連接字很巧妙地把多個意思連貫起來在一句裏:
· The teacher who taught me the history of how Napoleon was defeated has gone to a remote part of the world where few tourists go.
(中):教我拿破侖如何被擊敗的歷史的老師已經去了一個很偏僻的,甚少旅客到的地方。
現在讓我們先看看這些連接字: conjunctions, relative pronouns, prepositions 究竟是什麽東西:
Conjunction (連詞)
(and, but, or, when, before, until, after, either, neither, because, unless, since…)
conjunction 可以把不同的名詞或句子連起來,這些 Conjunction連接字,中文也有相同 :
· I like apples and pears.
(中):我喜歡蘋果和梨子。
· Ice cream is delicious, but fruit is better for you.
(中):雪糕好吃,但水果對你更有益。
· Please choose between red or blue.
(中):請選擇紅色或藍色。
· An eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and the earth.
(中):日蝕發生是當月球走進太陽和地球中間之際。
· Many farmers are forced to sell their properties after the big drought.
(中):在大旱之後很多農夫都被逼出賣他們的產業。
· You should not eat dessert before you eat the main meal.
(中):你不應在吃主餐前吃甜品。
· You cannot put the carriage before the horse.
(中):你不可以把馬車放在馬前面。(俚語:不可顛倒次序)
(before, after 也可以是preposition – 遲些再解釋)
· The police will not rest until the criminal is captured.
(中):直至罪犯被捕獲為止警察不會休息。
· He was asked to either do his homework or mow the lawn.
(中):他被要求選擇做功課或剪草。
· I cannot open the door because it is jammed.
(中):我不能開門,因為它卡住了。
· Liz will not forgive Peter unless he apologised.
(中):麗絲不會原諒彼得,除非他道歉吧。
· The world has progressed a lot since electricity was discovered.
(中):自從電能被發現後這世界已進步了很多。
從上面可見得:Conjunction 可以把兩個或多個名詞連起,亦可以把句子連起成為更長的句子。
下兩次我們會介紹英文relative pronouns 和 prepositions 的特徵。