再論英文冠詞用法的邏輯

1、再論英文冠詞用法的邏輯英文冠詞的非常重要，版主每天收到許多公司同仁的英文電子郵件，常見(jiàn)許多奇怪的錯(cuò)誤，光是冠詞就佔(zhàn)其大宗，足見(jiàn)國(guó)人對(duì)冠詞的理解是何等的薄弱。今天就再來(lái)討論一下冠詞的邏輯用法。網(wǎng)友可能會(huì)問(wèn)，何謂冠詞的邏輯用法？版主的回答是：老美運(yùn)用冠詞時(shí)，根本不會(huì)考慮文法規(guī)則，而是依照語(yǔ)感來(lái)添加冠詞，這種思維過(guò)程姑且稱(chēng)之為冠詞的邏輯用法。網(wǎng)友可能又會(huì)問(wèn)，既然要靠語(yǔ)感，幹嘛又要囉囉唆唆講個(gè)不停？版主的回答是：因?yàn)槲覀兪侨A人，不是金髮碧眼的老外，只怪英文書(shū)讀得太少，唯有憑藉文法規(guī)則與邏輯來(lái)寫(xiě)英文，方能茍活於現(xiàn)今英文當(dāng)?shù)赖氖澜?。諸位的疑惑既然已經(jīng)解除，就讓版主進(jìn)入主題 (Lets just cut t

2、he crap, shall we?)： 冠詞重點(diǎn)提示：不定冠詞 + 單數(shù)普通名詞 舉例說(shuō)明代表全體的個(gè)例。定冠詞 + 單數(shù)普通名詞 泛指名詞代表的觀(guān)念(常用於定義)。複數(shù)普通名詞 (無(wú)冠詞) 泛指名詞的一般情況(未必可代表全體)。(舉例)下面三句話(huà)的意思類(lèi)似，由於採(cǎi)用不同的冠詞用法而有些微差異。a. The cobra is dangerous.(中文直譯：眼鏡蛇這種動(dòng)物很危險(xiǎn)。)b. Cobras are dangerous.(中文直譯：大多數(shù)的眼鏡蛇都很危險(xiǎn)。)c. A cobra is a dangerous snake.(中文直譯：一條眼鏡蛇是一種危險(xiǎn)的蛇類(lèi)。) 實(shí)用例句：以下例句節(jié)

3、錄於 “The Student Post” 的精譯求精單元 (April 20th, 1997)。1. 電腦是一種有用的工具The computer is a useful tool.(說(shuō)明) The computer = 指電腦這種工具2. 大多數(shù)的年輕人現(xiàn)在都會(huì)用電腦These days, most young people know how to operate a computer.(說(shuō)明) a computer = 舉例說(shuō)明3. 會(huì)用電腦固然是件好事，但過(guò)分依賴(lài)電腦就錯(cuò)了It is good to be able to use a computer, but one should n

4、ot depend on itexcessively.(說(shuō)明) a computer = 舉例說(shuō)明4. 電腦並不能幫你解決所有的問(wèn)題Computers cant help solve every problem.(說(shuō)明)computers = 泛指一般情況5. 善用你自己的智慧才是最重要的It is still most important to make good use of ones own brain.冠詞用法的邏輯一般區(qū)別不定冠詞 + 單數(shù)普通名詞 舉例說(shuō)明代表全體的個(gè)例。定冠詞 + 單數(shù)普通名詞 泛指名詞代表的觀(guān)念(常用於定義)。複數(shù)普通名詞 (無(wú)冠詞) 泛指名詞的一般情況(未必可

5、代表全體)。Graham Bell invented the telephone.(貝爾發(fā)明電話(huà)) 意指電話(huà)這項(xiàng)通訊工具。Telephones are available at department stores.(百貨公司可買(mǎi)到電話(huà)) 泛指一般的電話(huà)機(jī)。A telephone linked to a computer can be a powerful marketing tool.(如果連接到電腦，電話(huà)可以成為有力的行銷(xiāo)工具) 指任何一具電話(huà)。There have been three great inventions since the beginning of time: fire,

6、the wheel, and central banking.創(chuàng)世之後有三項(xiàng)重要的發(fā)明：火、車(chē)輪與中央銀行制度。(說(shuō)明)Fire 代表火這項(xiàng)觀(guān)念 (不可數(shù)名詞)。The wheel 代表車(chē)輪這項(xiàng)觀(guān)念 (定冠詞 + 單數(shù)普通名詞)。Central banking 代表中央銀行制度這項(xiàng)觀(guān)念 (動(dòng)名詞)。(定義句型) 下面三句話(huà)的意思類(lèi)似，由於採(cǎi)用不同的冠詞用法而有些微差異。a. The cobra is dangerous. 眼鏡蛇這種動(dòng)物很危險(xiǎn)。b. Cobras are dangerous. 眼鏡蛇很危險(xiǎn)。c. A cobra is adangerous snake. 眼鏡蛇是種危險(xiǎn)的蛇類(lèi)。(

7、A + 名詞 is a +名詞)(以下是維基百科對(duì)電話(huà)的定義說(shuō)明)The telephone is a telecommunications device that is used to transmit and receive sound (most commonly speech), usually two people conversing but occasionally three or more.A Linemans handset is a telephone designed for testing the telephone network, and may be attac

8、hed directly to aerial lines and other infrastructure components.網(wǎng)址: 以下兩段範(fàn)例說(shuō)明英文冠詞的使用方式：2. 範(fàn)例 1 (以下範(fàn)例出自於顏斯華先生的文法書(shū))The notion of the calculator (觀(guān)念) is not a modern invention. Long before the earliest prototype of the modern electronic calculator (觀(guān)念) came into being, the Chinese had been using an ins

9、trument called abacus to help them do arithmetic calculations for thousands of years. The principle that underlies the use of this instrument resembles the logic underlying the design of the modern electronic calculator (觀(guān)念). Some people even go so far as to claim that the abacus (觀(guān)念) is the precurs

10、or of the modern electronic calculator (觀(guān)念).(翻譯)計(jì)算機(jī)的概念不是現(xiàn)代才發(fā)明的。早在最早的電子計(jì)算機(jī)原型問(wèn)世之前，中國(guó)人就已經(jīng)使用一種叫做算盤(pán)的工具協(xié)助他們計(jì)算，其歷史達(dá)數(shù)千年之久。算盤(pán)運(yùn)算的原理跟現(xiàn)代計(jì)算機(jī)的邏輯相當(dāng)類(lèi)似，有人甚至宣稱(chēng)算盤(pán)乃是現(xiàn)代計(jì)算機(jī)的前身。Today, despite the fact that the cost of a calculator (舉例) is much lower than that of an abacus (舉例), abacuses (泛指) are still in wide use among Ch

11、inese merchants (泛指). Whether in the corner of a gloomy bazzar (舉例) in Taipei, or in the bright lobby of a Hong Kong bank (舉例), you can see storekeepers (泛指) and tellers (泛指) alike bending over their abacuses (泛指) doing calculations at speeds no one working with a modern electronic calculator (舉例) c

12、an expect to match.(翻譯)今天儘管計(jì)算機(jī)的售價(jià)遠(yuǎn)低於算盤(pán)，中國(guó)商人仍然廣泛使用算盤(pán)，無(wú)論是在臺(tái)北迪化街陰暗的商場(chǎng)角落，或者香港銀行明亮的大廳中，你都可以看見(jiàn)店家老闆與銀行行員低頭使用著算盤(pán)，其運(yùn)算速度之快，任何使用計(jì)算機(jī)的人都別想跟得上。3. 範(fàn)例2 (以下範(fàn)例出自於顏斯華先生的文法書(shū))The questionnaire (觀(guān)念) is by far the most commonly used instrument in collecting primary data. Broadly speaking, a questionnaire (舉例) consists of

13、a set of questions presented to a respondent for his or her answers. The questionnaire (觀(guān)念) is very flexible in that there are many ways to ask questions. Questionnaires (泛指) need to be carefully tested, developed, and debugged before they can be administered on a large scale. We can usually spot se

14、veral errors in a casually prepared questionnaire (舉例). In preparing a questionnaire (舉例), the marketing researcher need to carefully choose the questions to be asked(翻譯)問(wèn)卷(調(diào)查)是最常用來(lái)收集初級(jí)資料的工具。一般而言，一份問(wèn)卷通常包含一組供讀者回答的問(wèn)題。問(wèn)卷很有彈性，因?yàn)榭梢話(huà)?cǎi)用許多方式來(lái)詢(xún)問(wèn)問(wèn)題。問(wèn)卷一般都需要經(jīng)過(guò)仔細(xì)測(cè)試、發(fā)展和修正後才能大規(guī)模地使用。我們通常可以在(一份)草率製作的問(wèn)卷中發(fā)現(xiàn)不少錯(cuò)誤。製作問(wèn)卷時(shí)，行

15、銷(xiāo)人員必須仔細(xì)選擇要問(wèn)的問(wèn)題 ?？舍槍?duì)冠詞，在意思不變的情況下，將上面文章改寫(xiě)如下：Questionnaires (泛指) are often used in collecting primary data. By definition, a questionnaire (舉例) is a set of questions prepared and presented to a respondent for his or her answers. Questionnaires (泛指) are very flexible because there are lots of ways to as

16、k a question ( orquestions). A good questionnaire (舉例) needs to be carefully tested, developed, and debugged before it can be administered on a large scale. We can usually spot several errors in a casually prepared questionnaire (舉例). In preparing a questionnaire (舉例), the marketing researcher need

17、to carefully choose the questions to be asked(翻譯)問(wèn)卷常被人用來(lái)收集初級(jí)資料。所謂問(wèn)卷，乃是一組設(shè)計(jì)好的問(wèn)題，用來(lái)供讀者回答。問(wèn)卷是很有彈性(的東西)，因?yàn)榭梢話(huà)?cǎi)用許多方式來(lái)詢(xún)問(wèn)問(wèn)題。(一份)好的問(wèn)卷必須經(jīng)過(guò)仔細(xì)測(cè)試、發(fā)展和修正後才能大規(guī)模地運(yùn)用。我們通?？梢栽?一份)草率製作的問(wèn)卷中發(fā)現(xiàn)不少錯(cuò)誤。製作一份問(wèn)卷/問(wèn)卷時(shí)，行銷(xiāo)人員需要仔細(xì)挑選要問(wèn)的問(wèn)題 。4. 不定冠詞作為補(bǔ)語(yǔ)的含義變化My job is selling cars. (標(biāo)準(zhǔn)用法)My job is selling the car. (?) (賣(mài)的是實(shí)體汽車(chē)，用汽車(chē)的概念會(huì)很奇怪)M

18、y job is selling a car. (?) (只賣(mài)一部車(chē)就可以退休了嗎? 天下哪有這麼好康的事！)An apple a day keeps the doctor away. (指醫(yī)生這一行) 標(biāo)準(zhǔn)諺語(yǔ)An apple a day keeps doctors away.(泛指醫(yī)生) 這句話(huà)可接受An apple a day keeps a doctor away. (?) (腦筋不清楚才會(huì)這樣用不定冠詞！)A doctor must like people. (=any doctor) (指醫(yī)生這一行的人) - classifying 分類(lèi)/A spider has eight le

19、gs.Doctors usually have the potential to earn a lot of money. (一般情形)Doctors usually work long hours. (一般情形)It is difficult to find a parking lot in Taipei during the rush hour. (標(biāo)準(zhǔn)用法)It is difficult to find parking lots in Taipei during the rush hour. (標(biāo)準(zhǔn)用法)It is difficult to find the parking lot in

20、 Taipei during the rush hour. (?) (既然已知停車(chē)場(chǎng)在哪，怎麼會(huì)難找呢? 這句是我多年前補(bǔ)習(xí)時(shí)聽(tīng)到的句子，天哪！Somebody kill me!)(參考下面的冠詞用法)Just find a parking lot and stop the car. The cop will follow us, and come over to your window to talk to you.(找個(gè)位子把車(chē)停下，條子會(huì)跟上來(lái)，走到你的窗口問(wèn)話(huà)。) 請(qǐng)細(xì)細(xì)會(huì)老美在這句話(huà)是如何使用冠詞。冠詞的一般用法三個(gè)冠詞 (the, a, an) 都是形容詞。the 叫定冠詞 (de

21、finite article)，因?yàn)樗鞔_地指出名詞；a 和 an 叫不定冠詞 (indefinite articles)，因?yàn)樗鼈兾疵鞔_指出名詞。這些字也叫做名詞限定詞 (noun determiners)，因?yàn)樗鼈兊尼崦娓~。即使學(xué)會(huì)了冠詞的所有應(yīng)用規(guī)則之後，你仍會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)有許多情況你不知道在何處使用正確的冠詞或是否使用冠詞。1. 不定冠詞接單數(shù)可數(shù)名詞：I just had a cup of coffee. = I just had one cup of coffee. (我剛喝過(guò)一杯咖啡)Three coffees, please. (我要三杯咖啡)Have you got a sha

22、mpoo for dirty hair? (你已經(jīng)洗過(guò)髒頭髮了嗎?)A man stopped me on the street this morning. = Someone/Somebody stopped me on the street this morning.(今天早上有個(gè)(男)人在街上叫住我)My brother is going out with a French girl.(我哥哥跟一個(gè)法國(guó)女孩談戀愛(ài))(說(shuō)明) 讀者(聽(tīng)者)不知道或者不在乎那個(gè)法國(guó)女孩是誰(shuí)2. 不定冠詞接單數(shù)可數(shù)名詞：用於分類(lèi) (classifying) 或 個(gè)例來(lái)說(shuō)明整體what class, group,

23、 or type somebody or something belongs to, or what job, role or position somebody or something fills, etc.She is a dentist. (她是個(gè)牙醫(yī))A doctor must like people. (= Any doctor must like people.)(醫(yī)生必須要有愛(ài)心)/Ive been to the doctor. (You know which one: my doctor)/Ive seen a doctor about my cold. (我看了(某位)醫(yī)生

24、來(lái)治療感冒)It is so easy that even a child can do it. = It is so easy that any child can do it.(這件事很簡(jiǎn)單，連三歲小孩都會(huì))Im looking forward to being a grandmother. (我正期待著要當(dāng)祖母)I used my shoe as a hammer. (我拿拖鞋當(dāng)榔頭)I have never seen a dolphin. (我沒(méi)看過(guò)海豚(這種動(dòng)物)(說(shuō)明) 這句不能翻譯成：我沒(méi)看過(guò)一隻海豚 (什麼話(huà)?!)She is looking for a husband.(她正

25、在尋覓另一半)A spider has eight legs. (蜘蛛(這種動(dòng)物)有八隻腳)(說(shuō)明1) 一隻蜘蛛有八隻腳的解釋在這裡雖然可以成立，但要記住 a 在這邊是有歸類(lèi)(classifying) 的涵義。(說(shuō)明2) For example, a spider has 8 legs, two spiders have 16 legs, and three spiders have 24 legs. If this pattern continues, how many legs do six spiders have? (這裡的意思就是一隻蜘蛛有八隻腳。)3. 不定冠詞接經(jīng)過(guò)轉(zhuǎn)換的不可數(shù)名

26、詞：This is a good coffee.(這杯咖啡好喝)Well have a/one coffee and a/one black tea.(我們要一杯咖啡，一杯紅茶)The country produces a light oil of which quality is considered the best of its kind.(這個(gè)國(guó)家生產(chǎn)某種輕油，其品質(zhì)被視為同類(lèi)油品中最好的)4. 不定冠詞接有限定範(fàn)圍或種類(lèi)的抽象名詞：There was an abundance of good food at the party. (宴會(huì)上有豐盛的食物)= There was good

27、 food in abundance at the party.He has a good command of English. (他的英文能力很好)We need a secretary with a knowledge of Chinese. (我們需要一位懂中文的秘書(shū))Youve been a great help. (你幫了不少忙)I need a good sleep. (我需要好好睡上一覺(jué))(比較)Were having terrible weather. / Youve made very good progress. /She speaks very good English

28、.5. 定冠詞接單數(shù)或複數(shù)可數(shù)名詞 (表示限定)：The girl is my friend. (這個(gè)女孩是我的朋友) 特別限定The girls over there are my friends. (那邊的女孩們是我的朋友) 特別限定Move the books off that chair and sit down.(把書(shū)從那張椅子移開(kāi)後坐下)/Books are expensive. (書(shū)很貴) (all books/ books in general)6. 定冠詞接單數(shù)普通名詞 (表示觀(guān)念或共有知識(shí))：In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare

29、suggested a link between madness and artistic creativity: The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, he wrote, Are of imagination all compact.(瘋子、戀人與詩(shī)人都是幻想做成的) 代表觀(guān)念Life would be quieter without the telephone. 代表觀(guān)念(如果少了電話(huà)，生活將會(huì)安靜一些)The violin is more difficult than the piano. 代表觀(guān)念(小提琴比鋼琴還難學(xué))Schools should

30、pay less attention to examination success, and more attention to the child. 代表觀(guān)念(學(xué)校不應(yīng)過(guò)於注重考試成績(jī)，反倒是要多留意學(xué)生)We need more feedback from the customer in order to improve our products. 代表觀(guān)念(我們需要從消費(fèi)者得到更多的回饋意見(jiàn)來(lái)改善產(chǎn)品。)Do not lean against the door.(請(qǐng)勿倚靠車(chē)門(mén)) you know which one!Did you lock the car? (車(chē)子鎖了沒(méi)?) you k

31、now which one!/We hired a car to go to Taipei. (我們僱了一部車(chē)前往臺(tái)北)7. 定冠詞接抽象名詞或物質(zhì)名詞 (限定範(fàn)圍的轉(zhuǎn)用)：The sugar is bad for you. (吃這種糖對(duì)你不好)/Sugar is bad for you. (吃糖對(duì)你不好)He gave up his claim to the throne, all for the love of a plain woman.(他放棄繼承王位，只因迷戀一位平凡女子)/Love is ephemeral. Art is eternal. (愛(ài)情轉(zhuǎn)眼成空，藝術(shù)永垂不朽)The l

32、ight was beginning to fail. (= It was gettindark.)(天色漸暗)The light is too poor to ready by.(這光線(xiàn)太暗不能看書(shū))/Nothing can travel faster than light. (沒(méi)有任何東西比光更快)8. 無(wú)冠詞用於複數(shù)普通名詞 (泛指)：Good horses are hard to find nowadays.(這年頭好馬難求)What do forgs eat? (青蛙吃什麼？)Children ususally start walking at around one year old

33、.(小孩通常一歲左右會(huì)開(kāi)始走路)Do you like horses? (你喜不喜歡馬?)9.無(wú)冠詞用於複數(shù)普通名詞 (單純指複數(shù))We met some nice Chinese girls on holiday.(我們度假時(shí)遇到一些親切的中國(guó)女孩)Have you got any matches? (你有火柴嗎?)Both my parents are architects. (我父母都是建築師)10.無(wú)冠詞用於不可數(shù)名詞 (包含抽象、物質(zhì)名詞)：I hate instant coffee.(我不喜歡即溶咖啡)Whisky is made from barley.(威士忌是以大麥釀製)Li

34、fe is complicated. (The life is complicated.)(生命是錯(cuò)綜複雜的)/I am studying the life of Beethoven.(我正在研究貝多芬的生平) 限定Nothing can travel faster than light. (沒(méi)有任何東西比光更快)/The light is too poor to ready by. (這光線(xiàn)太暗不能看書(shū))/不可數(shù)名詞與複數(shù)名詞可以用 some/any 或者 無(wú)冠詞來(lái)修飾I think theres some butter in the fridge. (我想冰箱應(yīng)該有些奶油)I didnt

35、buy (any) eggs. (我並沒(méi)有買(mǎi)雞蛋)限定詞、冠詞和量詞限定詞 (determiner)可告訴讀者我們是在指特定事物或一般事物 (a barn, the garage)，有時(shí)候也用限定詞來(lái)標(biāo)示數(shù)目或數(shù)量 (lots of trees, several books, some confusion)。冠詞 (Article) 為限定詞的種，可說(shuō)是非英美人士學(xué)習(xí)英文時(shí)最感頭痛的一環(huán)，因?yàn)槭褂霉谠~時(shí)除了要判定名詞可數(shù)與不可數(shù)之外，還牽涉到習(xí)慣、邏輯與語(yǔ)意判斷，無(wú)法依靠機(jī)械性的文法規(guī)則去取捨。冠詞如果使用錯(cuò)誤，很可能會(huì)寫(xiě)出啼笑皆非的句子。許多非英語(yǔ)系國(guó)家的人士即便對(duì)英文駕輕就熟，仍然會(huì)對(duì)冠詞

36、感到頭痛。定義限定詞放在名詞前面，使名詞的含義明確 (A determiner is a word that comes before a noun to show how the noun is being used) 。限定詞的分類(lèi)冠詞：the (定冠詞), a/an (不定冠詞)指示詞：this, that, these, those所有格代名詞：my, your, his, her, their數(shù)詞或量詞：(可數(shù)) many, few, a few, some, a couple of, a lot of, lots of, / (不可數(shù)) much, little, a little

37、, any, a lot of, lots of, 單位：a cup of, a glass of , a liter of, a piece of, 決定使用冠詞與不定冠詞之前，先要判定所限定的名詞名時(shí)是否可屬名詞的可數(shù)與不可數(shù)決定該使用冠詞或不定冠詞之前要先確定名詞是否可數(shù)。限於篇幅，版主無(wú)法在此詳述某個(gè)名詞是否可數(shù)，建議有心學(xué)習(xí)的讀者去買(mǎi)本牛津高階英漢雙解詞典，這本字典詳細(xì)標(biāo)明每個(gè)單字在各種情況下的使用情況，包括可數(shù)與不可數(shù)。1. 應(yīng)用原則單數(shù)的普通名詞加 a/an複數(shù)名詞不加 a/an不可數(shù)名詞不加 a/an，但可使用量詞或單位(counters)2. a 與 an 的使用場(chǎng)合依照名詞

38、第一個(gè)音節(jié)的發(fā)音而定：a machine; a blackboard; a universal joint; a unique solution; a one-step method; an algorithm; an iteration; an SRAM chip; an X-ray machine; an RNA molecule; a simple algorithm; a new element; an unusual machine; an interesting subject3. 不可數(shù)名詞的種類(lèi)a. 抽象名詞: anger, happiness, information, fo

39、rce, strength, powera.b. 物質(zhì)名詞: water, oil, rice, sand, flour, air, oxygenc. 處理的方式或過(guò)程: integration, fabrication, pollution, purificationd. 學(xué)術(shù)領(lǐng)域名稱(chēng):physics, chemistry, economics, mathematics, engineeringe. 語(yǔ)言: Chinese; Englishf. 體育運(yùn)動(dòng)名稱(chēng): badminton; basketball(例句)Shes taking economics and math. (她選修經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)與數(shù)

40、學(xué))Her major is Religious Studies. (她主修宗教研究)She plays badminton and basketball. (她會(huì)打羽毛球與籃球)* 以下是常見(jiàn)的不可數(shù)名詞，我從事翻譯工作多年，從未看過(guò)老美將這些名詞當(dāng)成複數(shù)使用。Research Much research has been published in this field.Information Not too much information is available on this phenomenon.Equipment The new equipment has already bee

41、n installed.Software Flextronics is developing advanced software to complement its new line of servers.Hardware Our company cannot rely solely on advanced hardware.*然而，有些名詞卻可同時(shí)當(dāng)成複數(shù)名詞或不可數(shù)名詞，data 是最明顯的例子：The data that is received is stored in the FIFO buffer. / The data that are received are stored in

42、 the FIFO buffer. (接收到的資料儲(chǔ)存在 FIFO 暫存器之中)Very little data is available. (現(xiàn)在的資料十分不足)The data is/are still being analyzed. (資料仍在分析中)*多數(shù)時(shí)不可數(shù)的常用名詞Literature (所有文獻(xiàn)) In the literature, little attention has been devoted to this problem.Work (整體工作) Recent work has overcome these drawbacks.Notation (整組不同符號(hào)) T

43、he notation used in this paper is summarized below.Terminology (整組不同術(shù)語(yǔ)) In this paper, we employ standard terminology.*某些不可數(shù)名詞在特殊狀況下是可數(shù)的We need a secretary with a knowledge of English. (我們需要一位懂英文的秘書(shū))Youve been a great help. (= Youve been very helpful.) (你幫了很大的忙)I need a good sleep. (我需要好好睡一覺(jué))(比較) She speaks very good English. (她說(shuō)得一口流利的英文)4. 兩用名詞有些名詞