英语中 that 的省略艺术,有的时候不省略比省略更有意义


#英语语法#
有的时候人们会热衷于删除可以省略的从属连词 that,比如它引导的宾语从句或在定语从句中作宾语,那么通常可以被省略,也就是少写一个字,皆大欢喜,但是有的时候 that 不省略比被省略来的意义更大。

一、大部分转述动词后面 that 的省略

1. 当 that 跟在大部分表示说话或想法的动词的后面时常可以省略,如 say,think,know,claim,believe 和 hear 等等,例如:

he said (that) his name was sam.
他说他叫萨姆。

i think (that) we should go back
英语中 that 的省略艺术,有的时候不省略比省略更有意义插图
to first principles.
我认为我们应该回到基本原则上。

you know (that) ill always be there for you.
你知道我将永远在你左右。

he claims (that) he was not given a fair hearing.
他声称他未得到公正的申述机会。

he believes (that) he has the skills to take the club forward.
他相信他有能力使俱乐部继续发展。

i was surprised to hear (that) he was married.
听说他结婚了,我很惊讶。

2. 当 that 跟在除了简单地表达说或思考某事之外还带有额外意义的动词的后面时,虽然省略 that 没有语法上的错误,但听起来感觉就没那么好,例如:

somebody whispered that films like that were illegal.
一些人在窃窃私语,说那种电影是非法的。

the department confirmed that there were some victims.
警局证实有一些受害者。

officials acknowledge that they are hampered by a lack of information.
官员们承认,他们受到缺乏信息的阻碍。

因为有的时候省略此类动词后的 that 的句子会令人困惑,例如:

he acknowledges being a member of a minority may have helped him turn his eyes abroad early.
他承认作为少数民族的一员可能有助于他早日把眼光转到国外。

解析:因为 acknowledge 是及物动词,所以动名词短语 being a member of a minority 很容易被误认为是它的宾语,那么如果是你的读者看到这样的写法,那么他们可能要回头再看一遍。

但是若不省略 that,看起来就比较自然了:

he acknowledges that being a member of a minority may have helped him
英语中 that 的省略艺术,有的时候不省略比省略更有意义插图(1)
turn his eyes abroad early.

二、名词后面 that 的省略

有的时候省略名词后面的 that 的话,不但显得尴尬,而且容易造成混淆,原因是名词后的 that 有两个功能,一是引导定语从句,二是引导同位语从句。

1. 当 that 在引导的定语从句中作宾语时,通常可以省略,例如:

this is the rumor that fenster heard.
这是芬斯特听到的谣言。

解析:此句中的 that 在定语从句中作宾语,可以省略。

2. 当 that 引导的是同位语从句时,通常不可以省略,例如:

this is the rumor that fenster started dyeing his hair.
有传言说芬斯特开始染发了。

解析:此时如果省略 that 就变成 this is the rumor fenster started dyeing his hair,那么当人们阅读到 this is the rumor fenster started 时的第一反应都以为是宾语从句。

三、总结

通过不断地学习积累,会积累更多地允许你省略 that 的词,因此除非你知道省略 that 不会造成混淆,否则尽量保留 that。
关注外语行天下,后期会更精彩。

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