ВУЗ: Не указан
Категория: Не указан
Дисциплина: Не указана
Добавлен: 23.11.2023
Просмотров: 589
Скачиваний: 4
ВНИМАНИЕ! Если данный файл нарушает Ваши авторские права, то обязательно сообщите нам.
us,”Mrs. Jenkins said, “you and me and everybody you can think of all over
the world. That is mankind.” (Llewellyn)
If the subject is expressed by a noun of multitude, i. e. a collective noun denoting the individuals of the group taken separately (people — люди, infantry, cavalry, gentry, clergy, police, cattle, poultry, jury, etc.) the predicate-verb is as a rule in the plural.
The weather was warm, and the people were sitting at their doors. (Dickens)
“I belong to a church that is older and better than the English Church,” Mr.
Holt said... “in our church the clergy do not marry.”(Thackeray)
The police are all over the place. (Kennedy)
At the present time, too many commercial cattle are bred with no particular
end in view. (Garner)
As experimental animals poultry have their excellent points. (Hagedeorn)
With collective nouns (family, committee, crew, army, board, chorus, government, party, team, company, band, etc.) as subject the predicate is either in the singular or in the plural; this depends on what is uppermost in the mind, the idea of oneness or plurality.
...the branch committee was meeting in the room of a textile trade union.
(Lindsay)
...I am glad to tell you, Doctor Manson... that the committee have decided by
a majority to ask you to remain. (Cronin)
The company was then complete, twenty-one in all. (Galsworthy)
“One of them might have slipped into the hall, in the confusion, when the
dinner company were going away,”says Mr. Franklin. (Collins)
The Board was again full... (Galsworthy)
The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the
room in great excitement... (Dickens)
Michael followed with the Upshires and Aubrey Green, whom he had
encountered in the hall. The party was complete.(Galsworthy)
The meal over, the party were freeto run and play in the meadows. (Ch.
Bronte)
...the band was beginning to playa selection from the music of Grieg.
(Hichens)
When we came to the house we found that the band had arrived and were
standing about in the hall. (Du Maurier)
§ 21. The predicate agrees in number with the subject expressed by a syntactic word-group,1consisting of two nouns connected by the conjunction and. Here we find agreement according to the meaning expressed in the word-group.
1 A syntactic word-group is a combination of words forming one part of the sentence.
1. (a) If the word-group consists of two nouns denoting different persons, things, or notions, the predicate-verb is in the plural.
Andreis and I were alone.(Abrahams)
I knew that matter and spirit were one.(Bennett)
N о t e. — Syntactic word-groups forming one part of the sentence should not
be confused with homogeneous parts of the sentence. A sentence with two
homogeneous subjects can be divided into two sentences with each subject
taken separately, independently of the other.
Kath and Pearl were good-looking girls.(Lindsay)
( = Kath was a good-looking girl; Pearl was a good-looking girl.)
If we have a sentence with the subject expressed by a syntactic word-group,
its elements cannot be used separately without destroying the meaning of the
sentence; only the whole word-group (in the above examples: Andreis and I,
matter and spirit) can serve as the subject in the given sentence.
(b) The predicate-verb is in the singular when the subject is expressed by several nouns which represent one person or thing, or two persons or things forming a close unit often corresponding to one notion.
...the wife and mother was asked with affectionate deference before the plan
was made. (Broughton)
A carriage and pair was passing through the lodge gates of Transome court.
(Eliot)
...Chitterlow’s needle and thread in his still unmended trouser leg was
making an annoying ‘little noise on the pavement behind him. (Wells)
2. If the subject is expressed by a word-group consisting of two nouns connected by the preposition with, or the expression together with, the predicate-verb is in the singular.
It should be noted that these word-groups are very seldom found in English.
A woman with a child on the third floor is screaming and waving her free
hand frantically. (Dreiser)
An engine with a number of trucks was creeping up spluttering and
snorting, halting and knocking. (Lindsay)
3. If. the subject is expressed by a syntactic word-group the first element of which denotes an indefinite number or amount, such as a number of..., a variety of..., the majority of..., a lot of..., plenty of..., a mass of... etc., the predicate may be in the singular or in the plural. In most cases the form of the predicate depends on the form and meaning of the second element, which from a semantic point of view is the dominant element of the word-group.
A number of cars were parked on the lot before a two-storey building.
(Maltz)
A number of Connoisseurs were sitting and standing about.(Galsworthy)
There were a number of paper-covered booklets too. (Cronin)
The majority of the old seamen are but little moved by such graven beauty.
(Dreiser)
The vast majority of men and women were not essentially above slavery
even when they had all the guarantees of a constitution formulated to prevent
it. (Dreiser)
“There is a lot of truth in that,” said Jonson cautiously. (Lindsay)
A lot of people are coming.(Hichens)
“There are a lot of things still for you to believe,” says Mr. Eversham,
beaming. (Wells)
The troubles and hardships of war were over,but there were still plenty of
others to be coped with. (Sommerfield)
There were plenty of rooms
(at the hotel). (Hemingway)
N o t e. — The nouns number and variety may retain their concrete meaning
(количество, разнообразие) and serve as subject of the sentence. In this case
they are used with the definite article; the of-phrase that follows them is a
separate part of the sentence — an attribute to the subject. The predicate is
naturally in the singular as it agrees with the subject the number, the variety.
They tell me that the number of teachers in town has not increased in years.
(Hughes)
Her acquaintance was fairly large,the number of her intimates was small.
(Swinnerton)
4. If the subject is expressed by the word-group many a... the predicate is in the singular.
The banks of the Avon are beautiful in these parts. Many an artist comes
there. (Thurston)
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip. (proverb)
...hospitality obliges as much as nobleness, and many a sounding lie has
been toldin its name. (Broughton)
5. If the subject is expressed by a group of words denoting arithmetic calculations (addition, subtraction, division) the predicate is usually singular; multiplication presents an exception as the verb may be in the singular or in the plural.
Two and two is four.
Six minus four is two.
Twenty divided by five equals four.
Twice two is (are) four.
THE SECONDARY PARTS OF THE SENTENCE
THE OBJECT
§ 22. The object is a secondary part of the sentence which completes or restricts the meaning of a verb or sometimes an adjective, a word denoting state, or a noun.
Haviland closed the door. (Wilson)
I was very proud of it. (Braddon)
He had never liked Soames. He now held him responsible for Bosinney’s death. (Galsworthy)
“You are afraid of dying,” said Bing. (Heym)
§ 23. Ways of expressing the object.
The object is expressed by the following parts of speech:
1. A noun in the common case.
We ought to give him a present, too. (Mansfield)
2. A pronoun (personal in the objective case, possessive, defining, reflexive, demonstrative, indefinite).
C o k a n e. Our little discussion has given me quite an appetite.
T r e n c h. It has taken mine away. (Shaw)
“I must do my best for her,” thought Jolyon. (Galsworthy)
You ought to know all about statues and things. (Galsworthy)
What will you do with yourself? (Galsworthy)
“Who gave you that?” he asked. (Bennett)
...she’s alone in the world, and she must have someone to take care of her.
(Maugham)
Here we must mention the peculiar use of the pronoun it in the function of an object, similar to its use in the function of the subject. Sometimes the pronoun it is used as a real (notional) object.
She pulled out a cigarette and let it dangle between her lips unlighted.
(Wilson)
Она достала сигарету и держала ее во рту, не зажигая.
But sometimes it only introduces a real object expressed by an infinitive or gerundial phrase or by a subordinate clause. In this case it is a formal introductory object which is not translated into Russian. The formal it is characteristic of literary style and is mostly used after certain verbs followed by adjectives (sometimes nouns). Here belong such verbs as to think, to find, to consider, to make etc.
He found itimpossible to utter the next word. (Kahler)
Он почувствовал, что не может произнести больше ни одного слова.
Не made ita point to save so much every week. (London)
Он поставил себе целью каждую неделю откладывать определенную
сумму.
She made itclear from the beginning that she had come with Bing.
(Sanborn)
Она с самого начала ясно дала понять, что пришла с Бингом.
3. A substantivized adjective or participle.
June Forsyte always championed the unfortunate.
In old times nomadic tribes when moving to another place left the dying
behind.
4. An infinitive, an infinitive phrase, or an infinitive construction.
The sergeant ordered his men to stop.
When he saw someone come toward them, he avoided him neatly. (Sanborn)
The old woman held the child tight and waited for the storm to pass.
(Dickens)
5. A gerund, a gerundial phrase, or a gerundial construction.
Could they prevent flying in war-time? (Galsworthy)
I remember seeing you at the opening of the Transport workers summer club.
(Shaw)
I don’t like him going away with Lord Illingworth. (Wilde)
6. Any part of speech used as a quotation.
Through the door in the hall leading to the basement he called “Hsst!” several
times... (Galsworthy)
7. A prepositional phrase with a noun or a gerund.
Several times he had sought for a suitable opportunity to disclose his
exciting secret. (Bennett)
They all approved of his not being beaten by that cousin of his. (Galsworthy)
Do you object to my going away for a month?
Improving a husband! No. I shall insist upon my husband improving me, or
else we part. (Ch. Bronte)
8. A group of words which is one part of the sentence, i. e. a syntactically indivisible group.
But it was only Mrs. Bunting who asked for a pinch of salt. (Lindsay)
He found a number of persons in the Morse home. (London)
§ 24. Kinds of objects.
There are three kinds of objects in English: the direct object, the indirect object, and the cognate object.
§ 25. The direct object.
The direct object is used after transitive verbs with which it is closely connected as it denotes a person or thing directly affected by the action of the verb. It is used without any preposition.
Again I moved my head negatively. (Braddon)
If we compare Russian and English we shall see that in English there are more verbs taking a direct object than in Russian. This is due to the loss of case inflexions in English, the result of which is that the old Accusative and Dative have assumed the same form.
Thus, if a transitive verb takes only one object expressed by a noun or pronoun without a preposition, it is always a direct object.
I help my brother in his work.
Consequently very often the indirect object in Russian corresponds to the direct object in English.
I helped him. Я помогал ему.
I envied him. Я завидовал ему.
It should be kept in mind that sometimes the prepositional object in Russian also corresponds to the direct object in English.
Он сел на лошадь. Не mounted the horse.
Он играет в шахматы. Не plays chess.
There are a few English verbs which can have two direct objects.
I asked him his name.
Forgive me this question.
She taught them French.
§ 26. The indirect object.
The indirect object denotes a living being to whom the action of the verb is directed. There are also cases when it denotes a thing.
There are two types of indirect object:
1. The indirect object of the first type, which expresses the addressee of the action.
It is used with transitive verbs which take a direct object, so it hardly ever stands alone.
She gave him an interesting book to read.
Don’t forget to buy him a toy on his birthday.
He забудьте купить ему игрушку ко дню рождения.
C o m p a r e :
“I shall buy him,” said the slave-owner.
«Я его куплю», — сказал рабовладелец.
Thus, when translating into English such Russian sentences as дайтемне, покажитемне, a direct object must be introduced, otherwise the sentence either has no meaning at all, or its meaning is changed altogether.
N o t e. — There are three verbs which may take an indirect object without
any direct object. In this case the indirect object is used with the preposition
to. These verbs are: to read, to write, to sing.
When I was ill she often read to me.
Won’t you sing to me?
Write to me as often as you can.
There is, however, a tendency in Modern English to use no preposition with the verb to write.
Write me as often as you can.
As a rule the indirect object comes before the direct object. In this case it is used without a preposition.
Much upset and without hope now she sent Soames the telegram. (Galsworthy)
When the direct object precedes the indirect object, the latter is used chiefly with the preposition to and sometimes for. These prepositions make the indirect object more prominent.
Farrish was giving an interview to the correspondents. (Heym)
But sometimes we cannot change the order of words at will, namely when the direct object is a pronoun and the indirect object, a noun. In this case the indirect object follows the direct object.
I sent him to his mother.
When the direct object is expressed by the pronoun it, it always precedes the indirect object.
Give it to him.
In colloquial speech, when the indirect object is a pronoun, the preposition to is often not used: Give it him, b u t: Give it to Mary.
There are a number of verbs after which the indirect object is used with the preposition to even when it comes before the direct object. These are: to explain, to dictate, to suggest, to relate, to announce, to ascribe, to attribute, to communicate, to introduce, to submit, to repeat, to dedicate, to disclose, to interpret, to point out.
Sometimes in the privacy of his bedroom James would reveal to Emily the
real suffering that his son’s misfortune caused him. (Galsworthy)
I shall dictate to you the names of books to be read for your examination.
He is not very bright, I attribute to his diligence the progress he has made in
English in so short a time. The professor explained to us some obscure
passages in Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet.
This order of words is mostly found when the direct object is modified by an extended attribute.
2. The indirect object of the second type, which is more frequently used with intransitive verbs than with transitive ones and which does not always express the addressee of the action.
An idea had occurred to Soames. (Galsworthy)
My childhood was passed with a grandmother. (Dickens)
I want to thank you for your kindness.
Here lies one of the points of its difference from the indirect object of the first type which is used with or without a preposition depending upon its place with regard to the direct object. The indirect object of the second type can be called the prepositional indirect object. So in the sentence She bought a piece of embroidery for me — for me is an indirect object, whereas in the sentence She did this piece of embroidery for me — for me is a prepositional indirect object. In contrast to the indirect object of the first type, which is used only with the preposition to and seldom for, the use of the prepositional indirect object is not confined to any definite set of prepositions. Thus it can be used with any preposition.
The prepositional indirect object is used not only with verbs but also with adjectives, words denoting state, and nouns of verbal origin.
I am uneasy about it.
She was not aware of his being there.
Her behaviour to her friends was irreproachable.
It is difficult sometimes to distinguish between an attribute and a prepositional indirect object.