英語(yǔ)倒裝句的用法
倒裝(Inversion)是一種語(yǔ)法手段,用以表示一定句子結(jié)構(gòu)的需要和強(qiáng)調(diào)某一句子
成分的需要.英語(yǔ)的最基本結(jié)構(gòu)是主、謂結(jié)構(gòu),倒裝就是將這種比較固定的結(jié)構(gòu)
加以顛倒.
倒裝有兩種:將主語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)完全顛倒過(guò)來(lái),叫做完全倒裝(Complete
Inversion).如:In came a man with a white beard.
只將助動(dòng)詞(包括情態(tài)動(dòng)詞)移至主語(yǔ)之前,叫做部分倒裝(Partial
Inversion).如:Only once was John late to class.
英語(yǔ)句子的倒裝一是由于語(yǔ)法結(jié)構(gòu)的需要而進(jìn)行的倒裝,二是由于修辭的需
要而進(jìn)行的倒裝.前一種情況,倒裝是必須的,否則就會(huì)出現(xiàn)語(yǔ)法錯(cuò)誤;后一種情
況,倒裝是選擇性的,倒裝與否只會(huì)產(chǎn)生表達(dá)效果上的差異.下面本文就擬從其修
辭功能談?wù)劦寡b句的用法.
一、 表示強(qiáng)調(diào):
倒裝句最突出、最常見(jiàn)的修辭效果就是強(qiáng)調(diào),其表現(xiàn)形式如下:
1. only +狀語(yǔ)或狀語(yǔ)從句置于句首,句子用部分倒裝.
例1:Only in this way can you solve this problem. 只有用這種方法,你
才可以解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題.
例2:Only after he had spoken out the word did he realize he had
made a big mistake.只有當(dāng)他已經(jīng)說(shuō)出那個(gè)字后才意識(shí)到自己犯了個(gè)大錯(cuò)誤.
2. not,little,hardly,scarcely,no more,no longer,in no
way,never,seldom,not only,no sooner等具有否定意義的詞或詞組位于句首,句
子用部分倒裝.
例1: No sooner had I got home than it began to rain. 我剛到家就下
起了雨.
例2: Seldom do I go to work by bus. 我很少乘公共汽車上班.
3. so / such...that結(jié)構(gòu)中的so或such位于句首可以構(gòu)成部分倒裝句,表示
強(qiáng)調(diào)so /such和that之間的部分.
例1:So unreasonable was his price that everybody startled. 他的要
價(jià)太離譜,令每個(gè)人都瞠目結(jié)舌.
例2:To such length did she go in rehearsal that the two actors
walked out. 她的彩排進(jìn)行得那么長(zhǎng),以致于那兩個(gè)演員都走出去了.
以上各例都用倒裝語(yǔ)序突出了句首成分,其語(yǔ)氣較自然語(yǔ)序強(qiáng)烈,因而具有極
佳的修辭效果.
二、 承上啟下
有時(shí)倒裝可把前一句說(shuō)到的人或物,或與前一句有聯(lián)系的人或物在下一句緊
接著先說(shuō)出來(lái),從而使前后兩句在意思上的關(guān)系更加清楚,銜接更加緊密,起到承
上啟下的作用.
例1: They broke into her uncle's bedroom and found the man lying
on the floor, dead. Around his head was a brown snake. 他們破門進(jìn)入她
叔叔的臥室,發(fā)現(xiàn)他躺在地板上死了.一條棕褐色的蛇纏在他頭上.
例2: We really should not resent being called paupers. Paupers we
are, and paupers we shall remain. 我們確實(shí)不應(yīng)因?yàn)楸环Q作窮光蛋而憤憤不
平.我們的確是窮光蛋,而且還會(huì)繼續(xù)是窮光蛋.
三、 制造懸念,渲染氣氛
在新聞或文學(xué)創(chuàng)作中,有時(shí)為了內(nèi)容的需要,或是為了強(qiáng)調(diào),作者常常運(yùn)用倒
裝來(lái)制造懸念,渲染氣氛.如:
Hanging on the wall was a splendid painting. 墻上掛著一幅精美的圖
畫.
再如朗費(fèi)羅(Longfellow)《雪花》中的一節(jié):
Out of the bosom of the Air,
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow,
Descends the snow.
在這一節(jié)詩(shī)里 ,詩(shī)人就富有創(chuàng)意地運(yùn)用了倒裝.在前五行中 ,詩(shī)人堆砌了七
個(gè)狀語(yǔ),狀語(yǔ)連續(xù)出現(xiàn)而主語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)卻遲遲未露 ,造成一種懸念效應(yīng).全節(jié)讀
罷 ,讀者才對(duì)詩(shī)歌的主題恍然大悟 ,因而收到了不同凡響的藝術(shù)效果.
四、 平衡結(jié)構(gòu)
英語(yǔ)修辭的一個(gè)重要原則是尾重原則,即把句子最復(fù)雜的成分放在句尾以保
持句子平衡.在語(yǔ)言使用中為了避免產(chǎn)生頭重腳輕、結(jié)構(gòu)不平衡的句子,我們常
采用倒裝語(yǔ)序.
1. 以作狀語(yǔ)的介詞短語(yǔ)開(kāi)頭:當(dāng)主語(yǔ)較長(zhǎng)或主語(yǔ)所帶修飾語(yǔ)較長(zhǎng)時(shí),為了使
句子平衡,常將狀語(yǔ)置于句首,句子用完全倒裝語(yǔ)序.
例1:A. To the coal mine came a com-pany of PLA soldiers with
orders from the headquarters to rescue the trapped miners.
B. A company of PLA soldiers came to the coal mine with orders
from the headquarters to rescue the trapped miners.
一個(gè)連隊(duì)的解放軍戰(zhàn)士來(lái)到了那座煤礦,奉司令部之命解救受困的礦工.
例2:A. On the ground lay some air conditioners, which are to be
shipped to some other cities.
B. Some air conditioners lay on the ground, which are to be
shipped to some other cities.
地上放著一些空調(diào),等著用船運(yùn)到其他城市去.
從例句中可看出, 采用倒裝語(yǔ)序的A句結(jié)構(gòu)平衡穩(wěn)妥 ,讀起來(lái)自然流暢,而采
用自然語(yǔ)序的B句結(jié)構(gòu)零亂, 讀起來(lái)也別扭.因而,在主語(yǔ)較長(zhǎng)時(shí)就應(yīng)采用倒裝語(yǔ)
序以取得理想的表達(dá)效果.
2. 以表語(yǔ)開(kāi)頭的句子:有時(shí)為了把較長(zhǎng)的主語(yǔ)放在后面,須將表語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)都
提到主語(yǔ)前.如:
Such would be our home in the future. 我們將來(lái)的家就是這個(gè)樣子.
3. 以副詞here , there開(kāi)頭的句子,也采用完全倒裝來(lái)保持句子平衡.如:
Here is the letter you have been looking forward to. 你盼望已久的
信在這兒.
五、 使描寫生動(dòng)
有時(shí)為了使敘述或描繪更加生動(dòng)形象,增加語(yǔ)言效果,可將表示方向的副詞
(如:down, up, out, in, off, on, away等)或擬聲詞(bang, crack等)置于句
首,句子采用全部倒裝的語(yǔ)序(主語(yǔ)為人稱代詞的句子除外).如:
Up went the rocket into the air. 嗖地一聲火箭就飛上天了.
Down jumped the criminal from the third floor when the policeman
pointed his pistol at him. 當(dāng)警察把手槍瞄準(zhǔn)那個(gè)罪犯時(shí),嘭地一下他就從三
樓跳了下去.
Boom went the cannon! 轟隆一聲大炮開(kāi)火了!
Bang came another shot!砰!又是一聲槍響!
以上句子簡(jiǎn)潔明快 ,生動(dòng)逼真地描述了有關(guān)動(dòng)作 ,令我們一覽此類倒裝的風(fēng)
采.但這種倒裝句的修辭功能在語(yǔ)段中可以體現(xiàn)得更為清楚.
“Stop thief! Stop thief!” There is a magic cry in the sound.
The tradesman leaves his counter, ... Away they run, pell—mell,
helter—skelter, yelling—screaming, ...
“Stop thief ! Stop thief !” The cry is taking by a hundred
voices, ... Away they fly, splashing through the mud, up go the
window, out run the people. ( Dickens )
作者在第一段和第二段中分別用副詞away, up和out位于句首引出四個(gè)倒裝
句Away they run , Away they fly, up go the window , out run the
people.從而制造出一種緊張、急促的氣氛 ,生動(dòng)地刻畫了一個(gè)緊張、混亂的捉賊場(chǎng)面.