【问题】“王先生和我本人都要到会的”一句,译成英文 Mr.Wong and myself will be present,为何不对?请将 myself 的用法详为说明。
7 P( Y. `' {- r3 Y! `" q 【解答】在古代英语中,曾经以 me,him,them 等单纯代名词,当作 myself,himself,themselves 来用,使之具有反身的意味(Reflexive Meaning),如 Shakespeare 说的 I have writ me here a letter.(我在此写了一封信。)及 Byron 说的 To their salutations he bends him slightly.(对于他们的敬礼,他略微弯身回答。)反过来具有 -self 的字,却用于没有反身的意思(non- reflexively)了,如 I am inviting yourself and your wife.(我要招待你和你的太太。)所以问句中翻译的英文句子,在古代是通的,但现代英语却不许这样说了,必须改为:5 r$ {1 r: i! r! b8 L! B
Mr.Wong and I will be present.
& V6 b" W8 h' x! g7 w% z5 y: |才可以。同样They invited my wife and myself.句中末字也要改为me才合乎现代英语的语法。
5 h: \4 y2 g- e" b6 h* V 现在且说这种 -self 代名词的正当的用法又是怎样的。
3 s' P4 L9 ~. ?8 J$ G (1)用作及物动词的宾语,句中主语和宾语为同一人或同一物时:* K7 \( d* a, X9 E7 b! n
The child has burnt itself.(那孩子烫了自己。)
$ ^3 [( L- X* q( \8 ~: D" @% B Jesus called himself the Son of God.(耶稣叫他自己为上帝之子。)/ k: `# _* E6 y3 R/ _9 v+ E
Don't excuse yourself.(不必道歉。)
6 K/ o* W1 L) v4 I& M8 C5 ~' K (2)“及物动词+反身代名词=不及物动词。时:
% f# e; P( `1 p2 E& F) s0 I I seated myself(=sat down)beside him.(我在他旁边坐下了。4 ?- L( f1 P+ S3 H$ ^0 Q
Don't overeat yourself.(勿过食。)
2 V4 o& z- P1 y# q* k- j/ k) x, _& t5 J I have enjoyed myself very much.(我玩得很愉快。), o9 h+ X. R& V2 ?) ]- @
(3)成为介词的宾语时: ?) k9 c/ O4 p* u6 i- [
You must take good care of yourself.(你必须善自珍摄。)
# I4 V2 m+ _, g0 R5 N7 n The door opened of itself.(门自开了。)& Z7 I Z! a; `1 C
He always lives by himself.(他总是独居。)* ]; p' K4 G& N' \
You must do that for yourself.(你得自己做。)
% y2 m- a# I6 X- b0 {4 ] He looked at himself in the mirror.(他对镜自照。)
: \" S* ]9 N$ b0 l: @ Our captors left us to ourselves.(俘虏我们的人让我们自由行动,不加管束。)
$ k: i8 ]' J7 C0 w* s (4)用于主语、宾语、补语的同格,以加强其意义,不加时意思也一样。1 ?8 S: p: D4 K4 q7 d, S
The matter itself is very clear.(事情本身很明白。)
! b6 N* A/ ?) o# ?3 E6 @1 K He wrote the letter himself.(他亲笔写的信。)
. \ j0 x: b3 u) e1 D- n Napoleon himself could not do it.(拿破化本人也不能做到。)' `& g4 a2 `/ p7 }5 R( K4 e0 s6 L
Even the very gods themselves weep over the slavery of wisdom to folly. -Carlyle(见到贤人为愚人所酷使,鬼神也为之哭泣。)# ^2 H" i* S# L1 l
The old gentleman is hospitality itself.(那老人客气极了。)
0 @) t) P. i+ j' B+ {! [ (5)用于避免发生误会时:
/ W1 N; h4 a! SShe asked for a ticket for herself.(她为她自己买了一张票。)如用for her 则可能是指别人。
, @: I$ w7 C! k (6)在比较时,用有than,like,so,as时:
; {; [& s9 x9 E She is much taller than myself.(她比我高得多。)外语学习网
; C9 C1 |. X% I& C The photo is not in the least like myself.(那照片一点也不象我。)
9 f% N, X' Z5 ~: S They are quite as well educated as myself.(他们和我一样受过高深的教育。)9 J0 H/ E4 b, _
比较:(a)He himself did it.& H% @+ D; \/ ?0 }7 e
(b)He did it himself.
4 `/ g$ A" g" [2 o (a)近乎文言,(b)为口语;(a)有点装腔作势,(b)有点回想(afterthought)意味,这是根据Jespersen说的。 |