定语从句用来充当句中定语的主谓结构;它主要用于修饰句子中的名词、代词。而定语从句的位置常常是紧跟在被修饰的名词、代词的后面。在被修饰的名词、代词与定语从句之间往往有一个关系词将其前后两部分联系成一个整体,或是构成一个名词短语;或是构成一个代词短语。但从结构上说,关系词与从句是一个整体。排除句子的其他各部分,这种带有定语从句的名词短语或是代词短语的构成可演示如下:
1)three signs that indicate a person is suffering from a panic attack rather than a heart attack 三种意味着一个人是患有惊恐症而不是心脏病的迹象在这个带有定语从句的名词短语中: signs是:被修饰的名词; that是:关系词; that indicate a person is suffering from a panic attack rather than a heart attack是定语从句
2)those who drink a lot 那些大量饮酒的人在这个带有定语从句的代词短语中: those是:被修饰的名词; who是:关系词; who drink a lot是:定语从句
通过面上的演示,我们可以归纳出定语从句在句子中的位置、结构如下: 被修饰的名词 / 代词 + 关系词 + 句子 (其中,"被修饰的名词/代词"在语法叫作"先行词".)
要点提示: 1)"先行词"与"关系词"的内在联系"先行词"与"关系词"之间实质上是互等、互换的关系。也就是说,关系词的作用就是将先行词所表达意义"代到"从句中来起作用。例如:
They often become easily frightened or feel uneasy in situations (先行词)where (关系词)people normally would not be afraid . 他们常在人们一般不会感到害怕的情况下却很容易感到恐惧或是感到不自在。 (本句中的关系词where = 先行词(in)situations 。如果把这个复合句拆成两个分句,那就是: They often become easily frightened or feel uneasy in situations people normally would not be afraid in situations 由此可以看出,"先行词"与"关系词"之间实质上是互等、互换的关系)。 又例如:
Rude people are those (先行词) whose (关系词)behavior shows little respect for the rules(先行词) that(关系词) the majority follows . 不讲礼貌的人是指那些,他们的行为对大多数人所遵从的规则并不表示尊敬的人。
由此我们还可以看出,"先行词"往往是分别重复出现在两个分句中的名词或代词。这也就是我们做定语从句的条件之必需。否则,"关系词"就无法去替代"先行词"而构筑定语从句了。这个道理就如同我们在计算机上"做剪贴以前要先做复制"一样。)
2)"先行词"的意义决定"关系词"的选择"关系词"的选择往往是由"先行词"自身表达的意义,以及它在从句中的语法功能而决定的。这个意思就是说,假如"先行词"自身表达的意义是表示"人的意义"或是"物的意义",那么我们就相应地选择表示"人的意义"或是"物的意义"的"先行词"。"先行词" 在从句中的语法功能也是决定"关系词"选择的重要条件。比如说,同样都是表示"人的意义"的"先行词",如果它在从句中作主语,"关系词"就得用表示"人的意义"的主格形式,如果它在从句中作定语,"关系词"就得用表示"人的意义"的所有格形式。另外,有时"先行词"本身是表示事物的名词,而它在从句中却与介词构成了短语,在从句中充当状语,在这种情况下,我们就应该用"关系副词"而不能用"关系代词"了。例如: Some people who are successful language learners often fail in other fields . 有些在语言学习上很有成就的人,在其他领域常常一无所成。 In our class , we have some students whose families are not in Wuhan. 我们班上有些家不在武汉市的同学。 There are many sounds which have a meaning and yet are not words . 有许多声音有意义但不是词。 Tell him to go to the classroom where we often have our English class . 如果把这个复合句拆成两个分句,那就是: tell him to go to the classroom we often have our English class in the classroom ) 告诉他去我们常上英语课的那间教室。
(一) 关系词 从前面的讨论中我们可以清楚地看出,关系词在定语从句的构成里是至关重要的。我们甚至可以说,掌握不好关系词就无法做成定语从句,也无法理解文中带有定语从句部分的意思。因此,我们首先讨论一下关系词的有关问题。
定语从句中的关系词只有两类:关系代词和关系副词;没有连词。也就是说,定语从句中的所有关系词不但都有具体的意义而且都在从句中担任一定的成分。
1)关系代词:who , whom , whose , which , that 等。 who用于代替"表示人的意义"的先行词,并且在从句中作主语;在现代英语里,也可取代whom在从句中作动词的宾语。例如: I have no idea about the man who wrote the article . 我不认识写这篇文章的那个人。 The little boy who is singing there can recite quiet a number of Chinese poems .
whom 用于代替"表示人的意义"的先行词,并且在从句中作动词或介词的宾语。在现代英语里,如果whom在从句中作动词的宾语,它与who可以通用;但是如果whom在从句中作介词的宾语,那么就只能用whom而不能与who通用了。当然,如果在口语或非正式文体中,介词没有提前,也就没有这点要求了。例如: Who is the girl whom ( who ) you talked to just now ? 刚才和你说话的那个女孩子是谁? Yesterday, I happened to meet , in the shopping center , the professor who ( whom ) I got to know at a party . 昨天在购物中心,我碰巧遇见了那位我在一次聚会上认识的教授。 They are looking for the patient on whom doctors just performed an operation . 他们正在寻找那位医生刚刚给他做过手术的病人。 (句中的关系代词whom代替the patient ,在从句中作介词on的宾语,而且介词on提到关系代词的前面,所以who 和whom就绝不可以通用了,此处只能用whom 。) Who is the girl to who (whom) you talked just now ? (错误) (句中的关系代词whom(who)代替the girl ,在从句中作介词to的宾语,但是由于介词to已提到了关系代词的前面,who 和whom就绝不可以通用了,所以如果还继续使用who句子就错了。此处只能用whom 。)
whose 用于代替"表示人或物意义"的先行词,在从句中作定语,往往与它所修饰的名词一起构成一个名词短语在从句中担当成分。Whose常表达"某人的、某物的"之意。例如: Do you know the name of that girl whose brother is your roommate ? 你知道她的哥哥与你同寝室的那位女孩的名字吗? Water whose boiling point is at 100 degree Centigrade has no color, no flavor. 沸点在摄氏100度的水无色、无味。 which 用于代替"表示事物意义"的先行词,在从句中作主语、宾语。例如: Views which are entirely new or foreign may also be hard to accept . 那些全新的或是来自国外的观点或许也很难被接受。 I've got a novel which you may like to read . 我弄到一本你或许想看的小说。 That was a fault which could not be forgiven . 那是不能饶恕的错误。
that 既用于代替"表示人的意义"的先行词,也用于代替"表示事物意义"的先行词;在从句中既可以作主语,也可以作谓语动词的宾语,但是不能作介词的宾语。在一定范围内,that = who / whom / which 。例如: Views that (which ) are entirely new or foreign may also be hard to accept . 那些全新的或是来自国外的观点或许也很难被接受。 Salaried people that ( who) earn more than a few thousand dollars must pay a certain percentage of their salaries to the federal government .工薪在几千美元以上的人必须将工资中的一定百分比交付给联邦政府。 Who is the girl to that you talked just now ? (错误)
要点提示: 定语从句中作宾语的关系代词可以省略如果关系代词在定语从句中作宾语可以省略。例如: This is the book ( which ) you were looking for yesterday . 这就是你昨天找的那本书。 I don't like the novel ( that ) you are reading . 我不喜欢你看的这本小说。 Who is the man ( whom ) you're talking about ? 你们谈论的那个人是谁?
定语从句中,关系代词的单复数取决于先行词的单复数。例如: Those who are in their forties are required to have a physical examination this afternoon . (先行词Those是复数,关系代词who也就看作是复数,所以从句的谓语动词就用了复数形式are了。)请那些年龄在四十几岁的人于今天下午去进行体检。 This is the magazine which was sent to me by post . (先行词the magazine是单数,关系代词which也就看作是单数,所以从句的谓语动词就用了单数形式was sent) 这是通过邮局寄给我的杂志。
关系代词that 和which的区别
that 和which在一般情况都可以用于代替"表示事物意义"的先行词,在从句中作主语、宾语。但在下列情况下一般只用that而不用which :
-- 先行词本身是all , everything , something , nothing , anything等不定代词时,例如: Anything that can burn is a source of heat energy . 任何能够燃烧的东西都是热能源。 There must be something that happened to you .你一定出了什么事。 They had nothing that could cure of his disease .他们没有一点能治愈他疾病的东西了。
-- 先行词已有序数词或形容词的最高级或the last, the only等作定语时,例如: This is the most impressive TV theater that has never been put on show before . 这是以前从未上演过的最有感染力的电视剧。 That is the only way that leads to your success .那是通向你成功的唯一之路。 We have to consider the first thing that starts our work . 我们必须要考虑启动我们工作的第一件事。
然而,在下列情况下却只用which而不用that:
-- 当先行词表示事物意义,并且在从句中作介词的宾语,那么就只能用which 。当然,如果在口语或非正式文体中,介词没有提前,也就没有这点要求了。例如: The world in which we live is made of matter . 我们生活于其中的世界是由物质组成的。 Ocean currents affect the climates of the lands near which they flow . 洋流影响其流经的附近地区的气候。 The world that we live in is made of matter. (正确。因为关系代词虽然在从句中作介词的宾语,但是介词没有提前,所以没有这点要求。) 我们生活于其中的世界是由物质组成的。 The world in that we live is made of matter. (错误。因为关系代词在从句中作介词的宾语,而且介词已经提前,所以必须遵从这点要求。)
-- 在非限定性定语从句(关于这一点随后就要讲解)中,当关系词表示事物意义时, 只能用which 。这是语法所规定的,没有任何解释。例如: The sun heats the earth , which makes it possible for plants to grow . 太阳给予大地热,这就使植物的生长成为可能。 The most important form of energy is electrical energy , which is widely used in our daily life .最重要的能源形式是电能,它广泛地运用于我们的日常生活之中。
-- as可以作为关系代词引导限定性定语从句、非限定性定语从句。例如:限定性定语从句 (常用于such … as和the same … as 等句式中) Such points as you've mentioned are really important in solving the problem . 你提到的这些方面在解决这个问题上的确很重要。 People such as you describe are rarely seen nowadays . 你描述的这种人现在很少见了。 This computer has the same functions as that one has . 这台计算机有着和那台计算机一样的功能。 非限定性定语从句 (as可以作为关系代词引导非限定性定语从句时,as是指全句:也就是说,将整个主句看成一件事或是一个事实;并对其进行补充、说明。这种非限定性定语从句既可以放在主句之前,也可以放在主句之后。) As I know , she hasn't got married . 如我所知,她还未结婚。 They won the first place in the game, as could be expected. 可以预料,他们在比赛中得了第一。 Professor Li is extremely popular among students , as is known to all of us . 如我们大家所知,李教授极受学生们的欢迎。
2)关系副词:when , where , why 等。在定语从句,关系副词 = 介词 + which 。也就是说,每个关系副词里本身就已经含有了一个介词:when = 在什么时候,where = 在什么地方,why = 为什么原因,等。至于在英文中用哪个具体的介词,就得依具体情况而定了。
when 代替表示时间的名词,而这个名词在从句中又与介词构成了短语,在从句中充当状语,例如: People will always remember the time when Hong Kong and Macao returned to our motherland . 人们会永远记住香港和澳门回归祖国的那一时刻。 He came at a time when we needed help . 他在我们需要人帮忙的时候来了。 We don't know the exact time when the English Evening will be held . 我们不知道英语晚会举行的确切时间。
where 代替表示地点的名词,而这个名词在从句中又与介词构成了短语,在从句中充当状语。例如: The place where we're to have the Speech Contest has not been decided yet.我们举行演讲比赛的地点还未定下来。 He is living in a newly-built house where there used to be a pond . 他现在居住的新房是原先一个池塘的旧址。 That is a beautiful campus where I made a lot dreams . 那是一座我曾经在那儿有过许多梦想的美丽的校园。 why 代替表示原因的名词,而这个名词在从句中又与介词构成了短语,在从句中充当状语。例如: He didn't tell her the reason why he was so happy . 他没有告诉她为什么他那么高兴的原因。 The reason why she was late is not so acceptable . 她迟到的原因不那么令人接受。 They explained the reason to us why they had misunderstood us before . 他们向我们解释为什么他们以前误解了我们的原因。
介词+关系代词 在这种结构中,关系代词若是表示人的意义,就只能用whom ;关系代词若是表示事物的意义,就只能用which 。而这种结构中较难解决的问题是介词的选择问题,因为这个问题的解决取决于多种因素: A)动词与介词的搭配B)名词与介词的搭配C)形容词与介词的搭配,等等。总之,要依从句的具体需要而定。例如:
A)动词与介词的搭配 He has found a good job for which he is qualified .( qualify + 名词+ for "使…具有…资格" )他找到了一份他能胜任的工作。 The man to whom you talked just now will chair the meeting tomorrow . ( talk to + 名词 "与某人谈话" ) 你刚才与他谈话的那个人明天主持那个会议。 He is bargaining with the landlord over the monthly price at which the apartment rents .名词+ rent at + 表示价格的词 "某物以某价格出租" ) 他在与房东就那套公寓出租的月租金进行磋商。
B)名词与介词的搭配 They are still living in the little house in which they've been lived for 15 years . ( in the house "在屋子里" ) 他们现在还住在他们已住了15年的那个小房子里。 We've worked out a method by which our production can be raised on a large scale.( by a method通过某种方法) 我们已研制出了一个能大规模提高生产的方法。 She didn't realize the extent to which she had been distracted .( to extend "到某种程度" ) 她没有意识到她心烦意乱的程度。
C)形容词与介词的搭配 The secretary with whom the boss is not happy will be fired for her inefficiency . (happy with "对…表示满意") 老板对其不满意的那个秘书将由于她没有工作效率而被解雇。 I've found the job for which I've been eager for a long time.( eager for "渴望得到…" ) 我已找到了我渴望已久的那份工作。 He is a learned man with whom we are familiar . (familiar with 熟悉…)他是一位我们熟悉的有学识的人。
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