大家都了解what about 后接等于名词的词。所以有一句话不了解对否:“what about under the table? 意思是桌子上面有一些水果,那样桌子下面呢?”所以我就想在网上探寻一些佐证,正好在爱词霸上有一个句子:“what about in American English?美式的又如何呢?”请老师给予指教,上面的句子可以如此说吗?
▲你说的这个现象虽然不多,但也存在。其实,这不可以看作是“what about后可接介词”。这是承前省略了某种成分,剩下介词短语而已。大家完全可以把省略的成分补充完整。再举几个例子:
What are your short-term goals? What about in 5 years from now?你的短期目的是什么?五年之后呢?
Siemens was a pioneer in Asia. What about in China? 西门子在亚洲市场上是个先驱者。在中国如何呢?
The climate here is fairly mild in winter. What about in your hometown?你们家乡的气候如何?
When shall we go on a tour? What about on Tuesday? 星期二旅游如何?
▲补充:双重介词(Double prepositions),跟what about之后承前省略有关成分,剩下介词短语是两码事,不可同日而语。请勿偷换定义!
▲补充:双重介词的使用方法
人教版英语必学5第三单元Reading中,有如此一个句子:Then Wang Ping flashed a switch on a computer screen, and a table and some chairs rose from under the floor as if by magic. 大家了解 from 是个介词,为何之后还有一个介词 under,两个介词不是重叠了吗?感觉仿佛在from之后省略了什么,但一直讲不出来。这是什么问题?
这是介词from的一个特殊使用方法,就是说,from之后还可以跟一个介词词组。语法书称之为双重介词(double preposition)。
介词,顾名思义,即起中介用途的一类词,它后面需要有一个成分作它的宾语,它的地方一直在这个宾语的前面,难怪大家称它为preposition呢(pre-表示在前,position是地方)。
英语中的介词,数目虽然不多,但它与开放式词类(名词、动词、形容词或副词)构成搭配时,则词组繁多,千姿百态,使用方法灵活,意义丰富,看上去活跃异常。它有哪些用途就像它的名字一样:介词——起“中介”用途的一类词。就好比目前的“房子中介”,“婚姻中介”,“职业中介”一样,为供应求购双方牵线搭桥。英语中若没了介词,句子就会支离破碎,意思前后衔接不起来。
目前回到问题。从句义上看,两个介词全部都不可以少,假如删去任何一个,句子的意思都不完整:
A table and some chairs rose from the floor as if by magic.(rose from the floor 是从地板的上面还是下面,大家无从判断。)
A table and some chairs rose under the floor as if by magic.(rose under the floor 在地板下面升起来,不知所云)
那样,from under the floor 到底包括什么意义呢?经过剖析大家发现,在from和under之间确实省略了一个词somewhere(某个地方)。也就是说,上面的英语句子可以理解为“一张桌子和几把椅子像魔术般地从地板下面的某个地方升了出来。”
下面再举部分容易见到的例子:
The thief came from behind the door and searched the room for something precious. 小偷从门后出来,搜索房间探寻有价值的东西。(大家不可以说:The thief came from the door. 也不可以说:The thief came behind the door. 省去任何一个介词,句子都讲不通!)
The stranger is difficult to recognize from among the crowd. 那个陌生人非常难从人群中辨认出来。
She picked up several bigger eggs from within the box. 她从箱子里面挑选了几个较大的鸡蛋。
A red flag rose up from before the building. 一面红旗从大楼前升了起来。
Sounds came from below our feet as we rose slowly from the ground. 当大家从地面上慢慢升起的时候,从大家脚下传来(嗡嗡的)声音。(必学5第三单元Reading)
That is a force pushing outwards from inside the moon. 那是一种从月球内向外推的力。
The National Games attracted many athletes and reporters from throughout the country. 本届全运会吸引了来自全国各地的运动员和记者。
Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A., like Spring Festival in China, brings families back together from across the country. 像中国新年一样, 美国的感恩节是家人从全国各地团聚在一块的节日。
The monkey suddenly emerged from behind the tree, frightening Lucy into screaming. 猴子忽然从树后出现,露茜吓得尖叫起来。
That he was determined to study medicine dated from before the war. 他立志学医始于战前。
▲补充:双重介词多见于from + preposition,也有其他状况的双重介词,比如:
Mom said that she would not allow me to buy a new computer unless the price dropped to below 2000 yuan. 母亲说除非计算机降到2000元以下,不然就不允许我买。
In between the chores, Jim managed to spend 50-60 hours a week working at the computer or doing reporting for the freelance articles he sells to magazines. 趁做家务活的空余时间,吉姆每周抽出50至60小时做一些电脑工作,或者以自由记者的身份写一些报道,投给杂志社。
Except for the few who have failed their examinations, all the students in the hall are in very high spirits. 大厅里,除去几个考试不及格的学生外,其他学生的情绪最佳。
The buses run until after twelve. 公共汽车一直行驶到午夜将来。
The German team were winning the match until just before the end when the other team equalized. 德国队眼看要取得这场比赛, 而恰在终场前他们把比分扳平。
The disco went on until beyond midnight. 迪斯科舞会一直持续到午夜将来。
从上面句子中,大家发现双重介词的正确用,不只能帮助大家准确地理解原文,而且还会叫人感觉句子表达言简意赅。
▲补充:“介词短语作介词的宾语”的说法是正确的。——偷换定义,哪个说不正确了?无人说“介词短语作介词的宾语”是不对的。
网友的问题是:what about后可接介词吗?
▲补充:网友的这个问题,跟“双重介词”不沾边。网友问:what about后可接介词吗?
她的例句不可以看作是“what about后可接介词”。这是承前省略了某种成分,剩下介词短语而已。大家完全可以把省略的成分补充完整。
The climate here is fairly mild in winter. What about in your hometown?你们家乡的气候如何?
When shall we go on a tour? What about on Tuesday? 星期二旅游如何?