在英文写作中,除了基本的语言问题即对单个词句的斟酌外,我们还需要注意句子内在的逻辑关系。英语中常见的逻辑关系有很多,主要分为三大类逻辑关系:递进关转折关系和因果关系,外加两个在逻辑连接中常被误用的词——连词while和介词with。
新航道公开课 免费预约试听 ↓↓↓
我们知道with这个介词在语法、语义上有很强的搭配连接力,在阅读和写作中是一个很常见的表达,with在skillful每个级别的教材中反复出现。虽然学生见得多,但是在实际运用中学生喜欢乱用with结构。一方面,由于with用法变化多端,含义微妙,使得很多同学在运用这个词上面临很大的挑战。另一方面,由于其形式多样性,含义界定模糊,使得学生在阅读带with结构的表达时感到困惑不解。针对该词在英语语法功能的多样性,语义的灵活性,本文以skillful教材和《中式英语之鉴》为参考资料,对with的用法做一个总结,并且本文还将重点对介词with的用法和在写作中的修改方法详细进行讲解。
一、 with的基本用法
我们首先看一下《中式英语之鉴》的作者关于with这个词的点评:
“with” is a preposition, but it is so often used as a logical connective——and so often a vague or confusion manner——that it is worth considering alongside the conjunctions, adverbs and adverbial phrases that usually serve to tie ideas together.
A moment’s reflection will show that “with” can be used in a great variety of senses. The following are only a few of the relations that this versatile word can express.
1.Accompaniment: 表示伴随:“和…在一起;随着…”
例1
He went with the children to see their teacher.
Since early explorers wanted familiar foods to ease their transition to foreign lands, they often took seeds and plants with them. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P91)
分析:上面两句的with都是表示“和,同…一起”的意思。
2.Agency: 介绍方法:“用…;以…”
例2
With a nail and some twine she was able to repair the latch.
We see much more with our brains, and it’s easy to play tricks on the brain. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P69)
It is constantly being rebuilt with the latest technologies. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P79)
分析:上两句的with都表示“用”的意思。
3.Characterization: 描绘特点:“用,携带”
例3
The girl with most courage spoke up first.
The Tarahumara, with their long and proud tradition of running, have provided some of the best runners in the world. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P61)
分析:上面例句中的with都是表示事物的特点。句with most courage 表示这个是一个有勇气的女孩。第二句with their long and proud tradition of running表示Tarahumara有悠久的长跑历史。
4.Manner: 表达态度:
例4
With dogged persistence, they trudged on through the snow.
分析:with dogged persistence体现了他们做事情是的态度。
5.Possession: 所有关系:“属于”
例5
The man with the key is not here.
With a tongue that weighs more than an adult elephant, it forces the water out of its mouth. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P39)
分析:句with the key表达了这个钥匙属于这个人。第二句With a tongue表示舌头属于鲸鱼。
6. on account of:表示原因:“由于”
例6
The small child trembled with fear.
Of course, with so many countries in the world, individual colors may have different meanings entirely, and may depend on historical or cultural factors, or even how we perceive certain colors. (Skillful reading & writing level2, P71)
分析:with fear和with so many countries in the world都表达出了“因为”的意思。
新航道公开课 免费预约试听 ↓↓↓
二、 with的错用
从上面的归纳中我们可以看出来with的用法很多,我们知道用法越多的词越容易用错。那么,我们来看一下with容易用错的三种情况:
例1
A:With the rapid increase of automobile production and import starting from the early 1980s, Chen was promoted as the director of the newly formed Automotive Office in the Ministry.(《中式英语之鉴》PP394-395)
译文:随着八十年代初汽车生产产量和进口量的快速增长,陈被提拔为新成立车管所的主管。
分析:由于受到中文的影响,我们一翻译“随着”就很容易想到用“with”这个词。 但是当我们再去品味一下这个句子,这个句子要表达的一个核心关系是在八十年代这个时间段里面车辆的产量和出口量得到了提升,并且在这个时候姓陈的人得到了提拔。所以这个句子主要想表达的是一个时间状语,那么我们不妨就把明确的时间状语写出来,为不用with这个比较模糊的词。那么,我们可以做如下修改:
B:When the production and import of automobile began to increase in the early 1980s, Chen was promoted as the director of the newly formed Automotive Office in the Ministry.
例2
A:With professionals familiar with the country’s laws and proficient at foreign languages, these offices will save the time and energy of foreign trademark registrants. (《中式英语之鉴》PP394-395)
译文:有了这些既熟悉外国法律又精通外国语言的专业人员,这些部门能够帮助需要注册外国商标的人节约时间和精力。
分析:这里with表示“有”,即有了这些专业人员,这些部门可以节约时间和精力。但是offices with professionals这种表达比较怪。我们可以说these professionals work in these offices,或者 these offices staffed by these professionals
B:Staffed by professionals familiar with the country’s laws and proficient at foreign languages, these offices will save the time and energy for registrants of foreign trademarks.
修改后的版本用过去分词短语staffed by来修饰these offices
例3
A:With wide streets and a small population the city is filled with gas stations and karaoke bars. (《中式英语之鉴》PP394-395)
译文:由于街道宽广,人口稀少,这个城市到处都是加油站和KTV。
分析:上一句话with到底表达的是一个“伴随”还是“因果”关系呢?其实这个句子里面的逻辑关系并不明显,所以这个句子用with表达了一个读者也不知道的逻辑关系,这种模棱两可的逻辑关系很容易给读者造成阅读障碍,那么我们还不如把with这个词去掉,就修改成了下面的版本:
B:The city, which has wide streets and a small population, is filled with gas stations and karaoke bars.
这个城市到处都是加油站,再用一个插入语把这个城市的特点描述一下——它街道宽广人口稀少。wide streets and a small population仅仅是城市的特点与filled with gas stations and karaoke bars没有任何的逻辑关系。这个改法就更符合我们正常的阅读逻辑了。
with这个介词虽然是一个虚词,但是在英语中却起到极其重要的作用。在很多英语文章中我们都能找到大量with结构。英语中的介词用法复杂且不容易掌握,且与其他词搭配构成了很多习惯表达,只有通过大量的阅读才能掌握这些习惯用法。在写作中能正确使用介词会使文章简洁生动。
新航道公开课 免费预约试听 ↓↓↓
英语高能高分·就上新航道 >>点击在线咨询<<