A is to B what C is to D 是英語中的固定句型,其意為“A對B而言正如C對D一樣”。對于這類句型中的 what 的詞性,學(xué)術(shù)界尚有爭論。以下觀點(diǎn)可供你參考:
■《最新高級英漢詞典》(商務(wù)印書館)和《中學(xué)英語高頻詞詳解詞典》(金盾出版社)等認(rèn)為 what 是連詞,引導(dǎo)狀語從句(用于打比喻,也叫比喻狀語從句,或叫相似狀語從句,也有的詞書認(rèn)為是比較狀語從句)。例句如:
Air is to us what water is to fish. 我們離不開空氣,就像魚兒離不開水一樣。
Engines are to machines what hearts are to animals. 發(fā)動機(jī)對機(jī)器之關(guān)系猶如心臟對動物之關(guān)系。
Reading is to the mind what food is to the body. 讀書與思想的關(guān)系就好比食物與健康的關(guān)系。
What blood vessel is to a man’s body, railway is to transportation. 鐵路對于運(yùn)輸猶如血管對于人體一樣重要。
What salt is to food, wit and humour are to conversation and literature. 雋語與幽默和會話與文學(xué)的關(guān)系就像鹽和食物的關(guān)系一樣。
■《英漢多功能詞典》(外研社)和《英語常見問題解答大詞典》(黑龍江人民出版社)等則認(rèn)為這類句型中的 what 為關(guān)系代詞。并舉例:
Engines are to machines what hearts are to animals. 發(fā)動機(jī)對機(jī)器之關(guān)系猶如心臟對動物之關(guān)系。
Railway is to transportation what blood is to a man's body. 鐵路對于交通的重要性,就如同血管對于身體的重要性一樣。
Manure is to crops what food is to man. 肥料對于農(nóng)作物,就如同食物對人一樣。
Color, line, mass, space and texture are to a painter what words are to an author. 顏色、線條、主體、空間和結(jié)構(gòu)對畫家而言就像詞匯對于作家一樣重要。 回復(fù)時間:
2011/5/4 10:38:57 |