解芳
摘 要:引述動(dòng)詞即那些能夠把直接引語轉(zhuǎn)換成間接引語的動(dòng)詞。正確使用引出直接引語或間接引語的引述動(dòng)詞非常重要。
關(guān)鍵詞:引述動(dòng)詞;直接引語;間接引語
英語中的直接引語在變?yōu)殚g接引語時(shí),主要有人稱、時(shí)態(tài)、指示代詞、時(shí)間狀語和地點(diǎn)狀語五大變化。對(duì)這五大變化,教材和一般語法書都有詳細(xì)的論述,而對(duì)引出直接引語或間接引語的引述動(dòng)詞的變化和使用卻很少提及。本文試圖談?wù)勥@種動(dòng)詞使用中的幾個(gè)問題。
1.主語和引述動(dòng)詞所構(gòu)成的引述分句,在引出直接引語時(shí),可以位于直接引語之前、之中、之后。而在引出間接引語時(shí),總是位于間接引語之前。例如:
He said,“Are you interested in English?”
他說:“你對(duì)英語感興趣嗎?”
He said that he had told me that news.
他說他告訴了我那個(gè)消息。
2.當(dāng)主語和引述動(dòng)詞所構(gòu)成的引述分句位于直接引語之中或之后時(shí),主語和作謂語的引述動(dòng)詞的詞序可以是正常詞序,也可以是倒裝詞序。例如:
“Now,class,”the teacher asked.“Look at the picture!”
“喂,同學(xué)們,”老師要求說,“看圖畫!”
“Dont you know I am one of you?”asked the bat.
“難道你不知道我也是你們中的一員?”蝙蝠問道。
注意:如果作為謂語的引述動(dòng)詞,緊跟有賓語時(shí),引述分句一般用正常語序。例如:
Wrong:“Are you feeling very well today?”asked me my mother.
Right:“Are you feeling very well today?”my mother asked me.
“你今天感到好些了嗎?”我母親問我。
另外,引述動(dòng)詞有狀語修飾時(shí),盡管引述分句可以用到裝語序,但通常卻多用正常語序。例如:
“Really?”the gentlemen said in surprise.
“是真的嗎?”那位先生吃驚地說道。
3.直接引語變間接引語時(shí),引述動(dòng)詞的變化有以下幾種情況:
(1)直接引語是陳述句,變?yōu)殚g接引語時(shí),其引述動(dòng)詞一般不變。例如:
He promised,“Ill come to see you tomorrow.”
他答應(yīng)說:“明天我將來看你?!?/p>
He promised that he would come to see me the next day.
他答應(yīng)第二天來看我。
(2)直接引語是疑問句,引述動(dòng)詞是ask,inquire,demand等表示問話的動(dòng)詞;直接引語是祈使句,引述動(dòng)詞是tell,beg,order等包含吩咐、命令、建議等意味的動(dòng)詞;直接引語是感嘆句,引述動(dòng)詞是explain,say,tell,remark等動(dòng)詞。這類情況下,直接引語變?yōu)殚g接引語時(shí),一般引述動(dòng)詞不改變。例如:
“They dont live in groups,do they?”he asked.
“他們不在一起住,對(duì)嗎?”他問道。
He asked whether they lived in groups.
他問他們是否在一起住。
“How well he looks!”she said.
她說:“他看上去身體多健康啊!”
He said how well he looked.
她說他看上去身體是多么健康。
(3)直接引語是疑問句,如果引述動(dòng)詞是say,cry等不表示問話的動(dòng)詞,變?yōu)殚g接引語時(shí),引述動(dòng)詞要變?yōu)閍sk,inquire,demand或wonder等。例如:
“Does Xiao Li really mean it?”he said.
他說:“小李真是這個(gè)意思嗎?”
He wondered whether if Xiao Li really meant it.
他想知道小李是否真有這個(gè)意思。
4.say to sb.和tell不僅可以引出直接引語,而且可以引出間接引語。例如:
He said to us,”Can you speak English?”
他對(duì)我們說:“你們能講英語嗎?”
“How brave you are!”he told me.
“你是多么勇敢!”他對(duì)我說。
He told me that he had his lunch.
他告訴我他已吃過午飯了。
5.直接引語是以let開頭,表示建議、提議或勸告的祈使句。
變?yōu)殚g接引語時(shí),可選用以下幾種句型:
(1)“suggest+that”從句(或+V-ing形式)。例如:
Marie Curie said,“Lets go down there for a moment.”
瑪麗·居里說:“我們?nèi)ツ莾捍粢粫?huì)兒?!?/p>
此句可變?yōu)椋?/p>
Marie Curie suggested that they should go down there for a moment.
(2)“ask sb.to let...”例如:
“Della,”he said,“Lets put our Christmas gifts away and keep
them a while.”
“德拉,”他說,“咱們把圣誕節(jié)的禮物暫時(shí)收起來存著吧?!?/p>
此句可變?yōu)椋?/p>
He asked Della to let them put their Christmas gift away and keep awhile.
(3)“offer+不定式”。例如:
“One moment----let me show you out,sir,”said the owner.
“請(qǐng)您稍等一會(huì)兒,——我送您出去,先生?!崩习逭f道。
此句可變?yōu)椋?/p>
The owner asked Henry to wait a moment and he offered to show him to the door.
(4)“urge/advise+賓語從句”(謂語中含有should)。例如:
The Party secretary said,“Lets do our best to win still greater victory.”
黨支書說:“讓我們盡最大努力,以贏得更大的勝利?!?/p>
此句可以變?yōu)椋?/p>
The Party secretary urged that we should do our best to win still greater victory.