短语介词作原因状语用法种种

短语介词作原因状语用法拾零

湖南宜章县湘粤学校高中部陈世琦

英语中作原因状语的方式较多，除了某些从属连词（如because, as, since, now that, for fear that, for the reason that, for the ground that 等）引导原因状语从句外，还有非谓语动词中的动词不定式和分词、with结构、独立主格结构和少数介词等，其中包括某些短语介词（phrasal preposition）。下面，笔者就常见的一些作原因状语用的短语介词在此作一归纳，共同行教学时参考。

一、because of (因为)，使用广泛，较为口语化。例如：

1. The school sports meet has to be put off till next week because of heavy rain.

由于下大雨，校运会不得不推迟到下周。

2. The talk on Iraq War has been cancelled because of Prof. Wang’s health.

因为王教授的身体原因，关于伊拉克战争的报告已被取消。

二、thanks to (幸亏；由于)。例如：

1. Thanks to the correct leadership of the Party, we have

been growing rich.

多亏党的正确领导，我们才会逐步走向富裕的。

2. Thanks to your patient teaching and help, my son was admitted to a key university.

由于你的耐心教育与帮助，我儿子才考上重点大学的。

三、by reason of (因为；由于)，后常接人或物的自然状况等。例如：

1. Our climbing had no choice but to be delayed by reason of bad weather.

由于天气不佳，我们的登山只好搁下去。

2. You’d better not go there alone by reason of your age.

由于你的年龄关系，你最好不要单独去那里。

四、due to/ owing to ( 由于)，常用于书面语中。例如：

1. The buses in the city were late due to the heavy fog.

由于大雾，城市里的公交车晚开了。

2. All the schools in the area were closed for a month, owing to an outbreak of SARS.

由于“非典”的突发，这个地区的所有学校都停课一个月。

五、by means of (用某种方式或借助谋事物)，后接手段、方式等。例如：

1. He made so much money by means of smuggling.

他挣这么多钱靠的是走私。

2. Martin Luther King, Jr was well-known to the world by means of making a speech in public.

马丁.路德金通过公开演讲才闻名于世的。

六、as a result of (由于；作为……的结果)，较为正式的用语，后多半接结果或结局等。例如：

1. Many trees were broken as a result of sudden hurricane.

由于突然而来的飓风，许多树都断裂了。

2. The child had to be brought up by his uncle as a result of his parents’ death.

由于父母双亡，这孩子不得不由他叔叔抚养。

七、on account of (因为)。例如：

1. Our village master won’t attend our meeting on account of his illness.

村长因为有病不会参加我们的会议了。

2. We cannot help but come to turn to you on account of

Mr. Liu’s absence.

由于刘老师没来，我们只好来求你帮忙。

八、on the ground of (以……为理由；以…...为借口)。例如：

1.The student played truant on the ground of his headache.

这学生以头痛为借口而逃学。

2. The child refused to take final examination on the ground of his illness.

那孩子以有病为由拒绝参加期末考试。

九、in view of (鉴于；由于；考虑到)，后常接觉察到的情况、存在的事实或考虑到的因素等。例如：

1. My father had to give up smoking last year in view of his health.

考虑到他的健康，我父亲去年不得不戒烟了。

2. We should ring him up earlier in view of these facts.

鉴于这些情况，我们应该早点打电话给他。

主要参考文献：

1、张道真《现代英语用法词典》，上海译文出版社，1985年

2、方廷钰鹰志译《英语常用词语法词典》（A Grammatical Dictionary

of English Words），外语教学与研究出版社，1984年