2012年4月17日星期二

古德明: 關於、 neither... nor




問: The email below from the Audit Department refers這一句,文法正確嗎?是不是等於 This refers to the email below from the Audit Department

答:上述兩句文法都正確,也都是說「關於審計處電郵(見下)事」。 Refer一字,習慣和 to連用,帶出受詞( object),但讀者示下的第一句, refers卻是單獨使用,而 email意思上應是受詞,在句子裏卻做了主詞( subject),頗為奇怪。不過,這是公函起首常用的句式,例如: Your letter of 1 April refers(四月一日大函敬悉)。這樣的句子頗嫌生硬,現在多改用較自然、客氣的 Thank you for your letter of 1 April之類寫法。

問: I like neither hamburgers nor hotdogs because they are/ it is unhealthy(我不愛吃漢堡包或熱狗,因為都不健康)這一句,哪個選擇正確?

答: Neither...nor either...or帶出的兩個名詞,假如都是單數,應配單數動詞;都是複數,應配複數動詞。假如一是單數一是複數,單數名詞較接近動詞,動詞應用單數;複數名詞較接近動詞,動詞應用複數。例如:( 1 Neither the books nor the bookshelf is to be removed/ Neither the bookshelf nor the books are to be removed(書籍和書架都不要移走)。( 2 Either the teacher or his students were to be told/ Either the students or their teacher was to be told(必須告訴教師或學生)。讀者示下那一句,當然應用 they are