王逢鑫談名詞化7: 副詞的名詞化

1. 副詞名詞化用with, in, in a state of 等變成介詞片語

He spoke confidently.

He spoke with confidence.

If you work earnestly, you will succeed.

If you work in earnest, you will succeed.

They shouted excitedly.

They shouted in a state of excitement.

2. 時間副詞，可用in, for等介詞變成介詞片語

Instantly

In an instant

Momentarily

For a moment

3. 比較性的副詞，可以like作引導

He dealt with the situation expertly.

He dealt with the situation like an expert. 

王逢鑫談名詞化6: 形容詞的名詞化

 1. 名詞化的形容詞可當主詞或受詞

shy

shyness

ironcial

irony

The boy was diffident. Too strict discipline was responsible.

Too strict discipline was responsible for the boy's diffidence.

2. 形容詞轉作名詞時, 其他部份也要相應變

How wonderful she is!

What a wonder she is!

It is obligatory for you to study hard.

It is your obligation to study hard.

Your obligation is to study hard.

You have the obligation to study hard.

You are obliged to study hard.

is fond of

has a fondness for

My mother was proud when she spoke of my little success.

My mother took pride in my little success when she spoke of it.

My mother spoke of my little success with pride.

3. 計量概念的形容詞

The bridge is 100 meters long.

The bridge is 100 meters in length.

The bridge has a length of 100 meters.

The length of the bridge is 100 meters.

It is a 100-meter-long bridge.

4. 比較量詞時

This tunnel is three times as long as that one.

This tunnel is three times the length of that one.

5. 有些形容詞變成名詞後要加介詞變介詞片詞

作主詞補語

The computer is very useful to us.

The computer is of great use to us.

作修飾語

He is a VIP.

He is a very important person.

He is a person of great importance.

6. 副詞子句中的形容詞, 名詞化後, 加上特定介詞,變成介詞片語.

Being careless, he made the mistakes.

Because he was careless, he made the mistakes.   

Because of carelessness, he made the mistakes.

或以with引導:

I felt envious as I listened to his achievements.

I listened to his achievements with envy.

王逢鑫談名詞化5: 同源受詞

同源受詞與其動詞是同一詞根. 這些動詞大多數是不及物動詞, 一般只涉及同源受詞, 不涉及其他受詞. 大多數情況下, 這些動詞可變為have.

He slept for a long time.
He slept a long sleep.
He had a long sleep.

He smoked for a long time.
He smoked a long smoke.
He had a long smoke.

有些動詞沒有的副詞, 變成名詞卻有相應的形容詞:

He dreamed rosily.
He dreamed a rosy dream.
He had a rosy dream.

王逢鑫談名詞化2:動態性動詞的名詞化

動態性動詞有5種

1. 活動型

glanced at me
cast/ directed/ darted/ flashed/ fired / shot a glance at me

smiled at me in a friendly way
gave me a friendly smily

pulled the rope hard
gave a hard pull at the rope

還可以是一些複雜活動

did not answer
made no answer

has arranged everything for
has made an all-round arrangement for


2. 過程型: make 

improved their work
made improvements in their work
There have been improvements in their work

3. 感受型: have, suffer

ached awfully
had an awful ache
suffered from an awful ache

4. 過渡型: make, come to

halted
came to a halt

appeared
made an appearance

landed smoothly
made a smooth landing

5. 瞬間型: give 

nodded to me
gave me a nod

knocked
gave a knock

王逢鑫談名詞化1 : 概論

今日在圖書館借了一本書,作者叫王逢鑫, 書名是《王逢鑫文法形式篇》. 吸引我的地方是作者對英語的「名詞化」現象提出了一些比較理論性的歸納.

我會用幾篇文章去歸納他的說法.

這篇會談「名詞化」八項要點：

1. 動詞變換為相對應的名詞, 成為一個新的動詞片語的組成部分. 這個名詞可能是具體名詞, 也可能是抽象名詞:

He suggested something to me. 

He made a suggestion to me. 

First let me introduce myself to you.

First let me make a self-introduction to you.

Her behavior surprised me.

Her behavior gave me a surprise.

Her behavior took me by surprise.

Her behavior was a surprise to me. 

He possesses a house. 

He is in possession of a house. 

2. 變換了的名詞, 要注意它是可數或不可數; 要否加冠詞; 加定冠詞還是不定冠詞; 以及加冠詞還是代名詞所有格:

He will address the meeting this afternoon. 

He will make an address at the meeting this afternoon.

John knows Spanish well.

John has a good knowledge of Spanish.

Tom is itching all over.

Tome is suffering from an/the itch all over. 

My father has retired. 

My father has taken his retirement.

My father has gone into retirement. 

3. 變換了的名詞, 前面加上特定的動詞, 包括: have, make, take, give, put, get, become, go, come, keep等常用動詞., 各自保持原有的語義特徵. 

have 作為動態性動詞,代表動作的執行或活動的進行:

He walks around the lake every morning.
He has/takes a walk around the lake every morning. 

have作為動態性動詞,表示愛憎, 情感和思想活動等:

She disliked her teacher.
She had a great dislike for/of her teacher.

I admire my teacher greatly.
I have great admiration for my teacher.

I do not intend to go to the film.
I have no intention of going to the film.

give 作為動態性動詞, 表示動作或訊息的轉移. 如:

John kicked the door.
John gave the door a kick.

performed twice
gave two performances

described vividly
gave a vivid description

nodded her approval
gave a nod of approval

take, make 作動態動詞, 代表動作的執行或活動的進行:

She immediately disliked her new teacher.
She took an immediate dislike to her new teacher.

apologized for
made/offered an apology for

spoke at
made/gave/delivered a speech

4. preposition 要準確

has greatly influenced
has had/produced a great influence on/upon

His critical writings are highly esteemed.
His critical writings are held in a high esteem.

5. 原來的副詞, 變成了形容詞:

slept soundly
had a sound sleep

explained a problem to..in detail
made an detailed explanation of the problem

兩個副詞變成形容詞時可以連續

recovered rapidly and completely
made a rapid and complete recovery

6. 動詞名詞化, 可能是變成介詞片語

is increasing
is on the increase

7. 表示人的特徵動作, 變為相對應表示動作者的名詞

He paints very well.
He is a very good painter.

8. 有些被動句中的動詞, 名詞化後會有被動涵義:

He was admitted to the university.
He gained admission to the university.

was permitted to
had permission to 

英文句構特徵2:動詞弱化

當中國人寫英文句子，總是脫不掉那種中國味，只因中國句子結構跟英文句構不同。我對上一篇說了英文的主詞受詞愛名詞化，另外英文的動詞也是名詞化。

舉個例子，中文說「犯錯」、「進步」、「嘈吵」、「決定」、「煮晚飯」、「交友」、「賺錢」，都是不同的詞語，但在英文中，他們都有相同之處，是什麼？

原來英語的動詞經常的結構都不純是一個動詞，而是「動詞加名詞」來表達；而以上的中文動詞，在英文中都用同一個動詞來表達：make；分別只在make後的名詞：「犯錯」是make a mistake；「進步」是make a progress；「嘈吵」是make a noise；「決定」是make a decision；「煮晚飯」是make dinner；「交友」是make friends；「賺錢」是make money。因此英語裡有所謂的百搭動詞，因為在英語裡，動詞根本不重要，名詞才是一切。

其他百搭動詞包括：take, do, have等。這留待日後再介紹，因為我想再說另一點。

英語這種「百搭動詞＋名詞」結構，導致中文出現很多英式中文；這種英式中文，雖然係用中文寫的，但卻用了英語這種「百搭動詞＋名詞」結構，因此湧現了大量冗詞。讓我再次引用余光中的名作〈怎樣改進英式中文？──論中文的常態與變態〉的一段：

「英文好用抽象名詞，其結果是軟化了動詞，也可以說是架空了動詞。科學、社會科學與公文的用語，大舉侵入了日常生活，逼得許多明確而有力動詞漸漸變質，成為面無表情的片語。下面是幾個常見的例子：

  apply pressure: press

  give authorization: permit

  send a communication: write

  take appropriate action: act

在前例之中，簡潔的單音節動詞都變成了含有抽象名詞的片詞，表面上看來，顯得比較堂皇而高級。例如 press 變成了 apply pressure，動作便一分為二，一半馴化為靜止的抽象名詞 pressure，一半淡化為廣泛而籠統的動詞 apply。巴仁 (Jacques Barzun) 與屈林 (Lionel Trilling) 等學者把這類廣泛的動詞叫做「弱動詞」(weak verb)。他們說：「科學報告不免單調而冷淡，影響之餘，現代的文體喜歡把思路分解成一串靜止的概念，用介詞和通常是被動語氣的弱動詞連接起來。」

    巴仁所謂的弱動詞，相當於英國小說家歐威爾所謂的「文字的義肢」(verbal false limb) 。當代的中文也已呈現這種病態，喜歡把簡單明瞭的動詞分解成「萬能動詞+抽象名詞」的片詞。目前最流行的萬能動詞，是「作出」和「進行」，惡勢力之大，幾 乎要吃掉一半的正規動詞。請看下面的例子：

  (一) 本校的校友對社會作出了重大的貢獻。

  (二) 昨晚的聽眾對訪問教授作出了十分熱烈的反應。

  (三) 我們對國際貿易的問題已經進行了詳細的研究。

  (四) 心理學家在老鼠的身上進行試驗。

不管是直接或間接的影響，這樣的語法都是日漸西化的現象，因為中文原有的動詞都分解成上述的繁瑣片語了。前面的四句話本來可以分別說成

  (一) 本校的校友對社會貢獻很大。

  (二) 昨晚的聽眾對訪問教授反應十分熱烈。

  (三) 我們對國際貿易的問題已經詳加研究。

  (四) 心理學家用老鼠來做試驗。(或：心理學家用老鼠試驗。)」