状语从句的省略

状语从句的省略

华中师范大学丁金海

本期主要探讨在状语从句中，省略主谓部分的语言现象。

小测：

观察下面几个句子，将状语从句中省略的部分补齐：

①For others,academic concepts seemed much easier to remember when introduced in a song.

②Although acknowledging that the best works at the Place Dauphine were by women artists,he castigated parents who"cruelly"encouraged their daughters to become professional artists.

③Found throughout the South,pokeweed is traditionally the first green plant to show up each spring and is best eaten when very young and tender.

④If necessary,she would just write the article without the interview.

⑤What drugs,if any,did Murray give Michael Jackson?

⑥I wish it were that simple,but it rarely,if ever,is.

⑦When in doubt,don't open an e-mail message，especially if it includes an attachment.

⑧As a small child,my earliest remembrance of music was listening to my older sister play the piano while I attempted to sleep in an upstairs room.

在上述句子中，都带有一个状语从句，而且从句均出现了省略现象，状语从句中的省略是常见的语言现象，这样显得语言更加简洁、明了。通过分析，我们可以将上述句子的被省略部分补齐。解析是：

①….When they were introduced in a song.②Although he acknowledged that…③…when it is

very young and tender.④If it is necessary for her to just write,she….⑤What drugs,if there were any,…?⑥I wish….,if it is ever that simple,is.⑦When you are in doubt, don't open…⑧As I was a small child,….

状语从句的省略根据其省略后的形式分为两种类型：①带连词的无动词状语从句，即“连词+名词/形容词/介词短语”结构②带连词的非限定动词状语从句，即“连词+分词/动词不定式”结构。

一、带连词的无动词状语从句

1.连词+名词

小测：省略下面句子里面的状语从句中的冗余部分。

①He inspected me as if he were a prosecutor.

②As he was a young adult,he worked as a carpenter,then started his own construction business.

③When he was a young boy,Hugh Brogan,wrote to tell Tolkien how much he enjoyed learning about hobbits,dwarfs,and elves.

④Though he is a soft-spoken fellow,he's a tough taskmaster who demands originality and initiative and is very blunt about the kind of people who anchor his news shows.

小测的答案是：①He inspected me as if a prosecutor.②As a young adult,he worked as a carpenter,then started his own construction business.③When a young boy,Hugh Brogan,wrote to tell Tolkien how much he enjoyed learning about hobbits,dwarfs,and elves.④Though a soft-spoken fellow,he's a tough taskmaster who demands originality and initiative and is very blunt about the kind of people who anchor his news shows.

通过上面的小测解析，我们不难看出，被省掉的部分是与主句相同的主语和be动词。再如：He acts as if(he were)a fool.他的行为举止好象是个傻子。

As(he was)a young artist,he entered and won first place in a major illustration competition

sponsored by the Population Institute.

在还是一个年轻的艺术家的时候，他就报名参加由人口协会发起的一个重要的画画比赛，而且赢得了第一名。

Though(he was)a capable pilot,Stoker always was aware of her limits.尽管斯托克是个能干的飞行员，她也知道她的能力也是有限的。

有时虽然状语从句的主语与句子的主语不相同，只要不引起歧义，也可采用省略形式。如：As a little girl,my summer holidays in Provence kicked off when my grandmother arrived from Paris for a weeklong stay.

在我是个小姑娘的时候，每当我奶奶从巴黎来到普罗旺斯的时，我的暑假就开始了。

As a little girl相当于As I was a little girl.虽然从句的主语girl与主句的主语my summer holidays不相一致，但是读者或者听话者不会产生理解上的困难。

有时，某些“连词+名词”结构很难说出省掉了什么，已经成了固定的说法，即便在逻辑上可以还原被省的部分，但是被这个还原的说法很少使用。最常见的有if a day，if an inch，if a yard，if a man等等，这些说法常常翻译为“肯定有，至少有”。它们的作用是：如果条件句中的陈述是真实的，那么主句中的陈述也一定是真实的。如：

He wasn't a youngster.Forty-five if(he was)a day,but with no body fat.

他不是年轻人了。准是有四十五了，但是一点赘肉也没有。

The painting must be worth a thousand pounds if(it is worth)a cent.这幅画价值至少有1000英镑吧。

The package weighed ten pounds if(it weighed)an ounce.这包裹一定有十磅重。

I’ve come three miles,if a yard.我肯定走了三英里了。

He is six feet tall,if(he is)an inch.他一定有六英尺高。

2.连词+形容词

小测：将状语从句中省略的部分补齐。

①It was the ultimate brainwash and if true,would certainly make a travesty of their motto.

②His search party had formed a circle around me and stared as if ready to pounce at a signal from their Captain.

③When ready to jump,I have such total body awareness that my heart rate doesn't increase.

④The goal,he adds,is to prevent,if possible,the most vulnerable populated island states from disappearing entirely.

⑤I practice releasing the buckle a few times to be sure I'll be able to get out quickly if necessary.

⑥Where appropriate,agriculture is going to continue and thrive.

⑦A hydrothermal vent is a place on the ridge where cold

小测的解析是：①It was the ultimate brainwash and if it was true,would…②His search party had formed a circle around me and stared as if they were ready…③When I am ready to jump,…④The goal,he adds,is to prevent,if it is possible(to do so),…⑤I…quickly if it is necessary(for me to get out).⑥Where it is appropriate,agriculture is going to continue and thrive.

⑦….where it is cold.

通过上面的小测解析，我们不难看出，被省掉的部分是与主句相同的主语或者是it(it既可以是形式主语，也可以是指代词)，动词是be，再如：

When(they were)fully grown,the children were freed and taken away to some faraway land.

待孩子们完全长大了后，他们就自由了，然后被带到一个遥远的地方。

So,if(it is)true,this is just astounding.这要是真的话，也太离奇了。

He leaned forward as if(he were)ready to spring.他身子向前倾，随时准备跃起。