英语倒装句用法浅析
倒装(Inversion)是一种语法手段,用以表示一定句子结构的需要和强调某一句子成分的需要。英语的最基本结构是主、谓结构,倒装就是将这种比较固定的结构加以颠倒。
倒装有两种:将主语和谓语完全颠倒过来,叫做完全倒装(Complete Inversion)。如:In came a man with a white beard.
只将助动词(包括情态动词)移至主语之前,叫做部分倒装(Partial Inversion)。如:Only once was John late to class.
英语句子的倒装一是由于语法结构的需要而进行的倒装,二是由于修辞的需要而进行的倒装。前一种情况,倒装是必须的,否则就会出现语法错误;后一种情况,倒装是选择性的,倒装与否只会产生表达效果上的差异。下面本文就拟从其修辞功能谈谈倒装句的用法。
一、 表示强调:
倒装句最突出、最常见的修辞效果就是强调,其表现形式如下:
1. only +状语或状语从句置于句首,句子用部分倒装。
例1:Only in this way can you solve this problem. 只有用这种方法,你才可以解决这个问题。
例2:Only after he had spoken out the word did he realize he had made a big mistake.只有当他已经说出那个字后才意识到自己犯了个大错误。
2. not, little, hardly, scarcely, no more, no longer, in no way, never, seldom, not only, no sooner等具有否定意义的词或词组位于句首,句子用部分倒装。
例1: No sooner had I got home than it began to rain. 我刚到家就下起了雨。
例2: Seldom do I go to work by bus. 我很少乘公共汽车上班。
3. so / such...that结构中的so或such位于句首可以构成部分倒装句,表示强调so /such和that之间的部分。
例1:So unreasonable was his price that everybody startled. 他的要价太离谱,令每个人都瞠目结舌。
例2:To such length did she go in rehearsal that the two actors walked out. 她的彩排进行得那么长,以致于那两个演员都走出去了。
以上各例都用倒装语序突出了句首成分,其语气较自然语序强烈,因而具有极佳的修辞效果。
二、 承上启下
有时倒装可把前一句说到的人或物,或与前一句有联系的人或物在下一句紧接着先说出来,从而使前后两句在意思上的关系更加清楚,衔接更加紧密,起到承上启下的作用。
例1: They broke into her uncle's bedroom and found the man lying on the floor, dead. Around his head was a brown snake. 他们破门进入她叔叔的卧室,发现他躺在地板上死了。一条棕褐色的蛇缠在他头上。
例2: We really should not resent being called paupers. Paupers we are, and paupers we shall remain. 我们确实不应因为被称作穷光蛋而愤愤不平。我们的确是穷光蛋,而且还会继续是穷光蛋。
三、 制造悬念,渲染气氛
在新闻或文学创作中,有时为了内容的需要,或是为了强调,作者常常运用倒装来制造悬念,渲染气氛。如:
Hanging on the wall was a splendid painting. 墙上挂着一幅精美的图画。
再如朗费罗(Longfellow)《雪花》中的一节:
Out of the bosom of the Air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow,
Descends the snow.
在这一节诗里 ,诗人就富有创意地运用了倒装。在前五行中 ,诗人堆砌了七个状语,状语连续出现而主语和谓语却迟迟未露 ,造成一种悬念效应。全节读罢 ,读者才对诗歌的主题恍然大悟 ,因而收到了不同凡响的艺术效果。
四、 平衡结构
英语修辞的一个重要原则是尾重原则,即把句子最复杂的成分放在句尾以保持句子平衡。在语言使用中为了避免产生头重脚轻、结构不平衡的句子,我们常采用倒装语序。
1. 以作状语的介词短语开头:当主语较长或主语所带修饰语较长时,为了使句子平衡,常将状语置于句首,句子用完全倒装语序。
例1:A. To the coal mine came a com-pany of PLA soldiers with orders from the headquarters to rescue the trapped miners.
B. A company of PLA soldiers came to the coal mine with orders from the headquarters to rescue the trapped miners.
一个连队的解放军战士来到了那座煤矿,奉司令部之命解救受困的矿工。
例2:A. On the ground lay some air conditioners, which are to be shipped to some other cities.
B. Some air conditioners lay on the ground, which are to be shipped to some other cities.
地上放着一些空调,等着用船运到其他城市去。
从例句中可看出, 采用倒装语序的A句结构平衡稳妥 ,读起来自然流畅,而采用自然语序的B句结构零乱, 读起来也别扭。因而,在主语较长时就应采用倒装语序以取得理想的表达效果。
2. 以表语开头的句子:有时为了把较长的主语放在后面,须将表语和谓语都提到主语前。如:
Such would be our home in the future. 我们将来的家就是这个样子。
3. 以副词here , there开头的句子,也采用完全倒装来保持句子平衡。如:
Here is the letter you have been looking forward to. 你盼望已久的信在这儿。
五、 使描写生动
有时为了使叙述或描绘更加生动形象,增加语言效果,可将表示方向的副词(如:down, up, out, in, off, on, away等)或拟声词(bang, crack等)置于句首,句子采用全部倒装的语序(主语为人称代词的句子除外)。如:
Up went the rocket into the air. 嗖地一声火箭就飞上天了。
Down jumped the criminal from the third floor when the policeman pointed his pistol at him. 当警察把手枪瞄准那个罪犯时,嘭地一下他就从三楼跳了下去。
Boom went the cannon! 轰隆一声大炮开火了!
Bang came another shot!砰!又是一声枪响!
以上句子简洁明快 ,生动逼真地描述了有关动作 ,令我们一览此类倒装的风采。但这种倒装句的修辞功能在语段中可以体现得更为清楚。
“Stop thief! Stop thief!” There is a magic cry in the sound. The tradesman leaves his counter, ... Away they run, pell—mell, helter—skelter, yelling—screaming, ...
“Stop thief ! Stop thief !” The cry is taking by a hundred voices, ... Away they fly, splashing through the mud, up go the window, out run the people. ( Dickens )
作者在第一段和第二段中分别用副词away, up和out位于句首引出四个倒装句Away they run , Away they fly, up go the window , out run the people。从而制造出一种紧张、急促的气氛 ,生动地刻画了一个紧张、混乱的捉贼场面。
倒装是英语中一个重要的修辞手段。倒装句的使用丰富了我们的语言表达,了解并掌握倒装句各种句式的用法 , 不仅会提高我们对英语语言的欣赏能力 , 对英语表达能力的提高也将大有裨益。因此,写作中适当用一些倒装句式定会使文章表达更生动、有力。
倒装句
英语中的语序通常是“主语在前,谓语在后”,这称为自然语序。反之,谓语动词的一部分或全部放在主语的前面,这样的语序称为倒状语序。倒状又分为全部倒状和部分倒状两种。按照目的来分类,倒装句可分为两类:因语法结构引起的倒装句和部分引起的倒装句。
1) 语法倒装句型
(一) 疑问倒装
Can you operate the new machine ?你能操作这台机器么?
In what way are they different ?她们在哪些方面不同?
(二) There be 句型的倒装
There are many forms of energy . 能量有多种形式。
There stands a stone bridge across the river .河上有座石桥。
(三) 表示祝愿的倒装
May you succeed ! 祝你成功!
(四) 以here, there, now, then, thus等副词为句首的句子倒装。谓语动词通常是be, come, go, exist, follow等不及物动词。
Here is the book you want .你要的书在这儿。
There goes the bell.铃响了。
Now is the hour when they say goodbye.她们告别的时候到了。
Then follows the fashion show .然后是时装表演。
(五) 表示否定或基本否定的词与词组放在句首的句子倒装。这样的词与词组主要有: never \ seldom \ scarcely \ hardly \ rarely \ little \ not \nowhere ; hardly … when \ no sooner … than … \ in no case \ in no way \ on no account \ at no time \not only … but also 等等。
Never has any country made so much progress in such a short time .从来没有任何一个国家在这么短的时间内取得这样大的进步。
Rarely did Tom leave his lab those days .那几天汤姆很少离开她的实验室。
No sooner had they got to the plant than they started to work. . 她们一到工厂就开始工作起来了。
(六) “Only +状语”放在句首的句子倒装
Only by working hard can one succeed .只有努力才能成功。
Only once have I seen him . 我只见过她一次面。
Only when one falls ill does one know the value of health .只有生病的时候才知道健康的可贵。
(七) 反复倒装。
如果前面分句中所述的情况也适合后面的分句,后面的分句常用so (肯定句),nor , neither 或no more (否定句)开头引导倒装句。
They can leave now , so can we.她们现在可以离开,我们也能。
Our society has changed and so have the people in it . 社会变了,人也变了。
He didn’t see the film last night , neither did she .她昨晚没有看电影,她也没看。
Energy cannot be created ,and neither can it be destroyed .能量不能创造,也不能消灭。
(八) 虚拟条件句中的倒装。虚拟语气中的条件从句省去if 时,were ,had 或should 须放在主语前面。
Were it not for your help ,I wouldn’t have got I have today .要是没有你的帮助,我就不会有今天。
Were there no air ,there would be no sound .没有空气就没有声音。
Had I left a little earlier ,I would have caught .我要是早点动身就赶上火车了。
2) 强调倒装句
因强调而引起的倒装句,一般是强调什么成分就将什么成分放在句首,使其句子倒装。
(1) 状语放在句首
Down went the boat ! 船沉了!
Off is the train . 火车开走了。
Up went the rocket into the air . 火箭上了天。
Across the river lies a newly building steel bridge .新建的一座钢桥横跨这条河流。
(2) 表语放在句首
Great are our achievements in science and technology .我们在科技上的成就是伟大的。
Of all metal construction are wing structures of modern high-speed airplanes.现代高速飞机的机翼是全金属结构的。
(3) 宾语放在句首
What man has done man can do .前人能做的,后人也能做。
What he did I cannot imagine .我想象不出她做了什么。
Whether these figures are accurate ,I don’t know .这些数字是否精确,我不知道。
What will be the outcome ,no one can tell.后果会怎样,没有人知道。
这些够用么