关键词：英语学习 写作 旋元佑
Chapter 20——相关字组之一
英文修辞中有一项要求会让学习者感到相当困扰，那就是相关字组(correlatives)。相关的两个字一定要同时出现，缺一不可，称为相关字组。这两个字原本并没有必然的关系，但因为使用习惯以及基于清楚性的考虑，必须同时出现，互相呼应，才能表达一个完整、清楚的意思。因而修辞上也必须养成良好的习惯，使用相关字组时不得有疏漏。例如：
例1
His writing is both clear as well as concise.
他的文章既清楚又简洁。
要表达「既…又…」的意思，恰当的相关字组就是both... and。这个例子中用了 both而没有用and。虽然as well as也有和 and类似的意思，但并不符合常用的相关字组的要求，所以修辞效果欠佳，应改成正确的相关字组如下：
His writing is both clear and concise. (正确)
以下介绍一些常会出错的相关字组，请读者多留意，不要用错了。
例2
Kim Dai Jung was considered as a dangerous rebel in Park Chung Hee's days. (不佳)
金大中在朴正熙时代被视为危险的叛徒。
许多人误以为consider as是相关字组。正确的用法是动词 consider直接加补语，不用加as，例如：
Kim Dai Jung was considered a dangerous rebel in Park Chung Hee's days. (正确)
与as成相关字组的动词并非consider，而是regard，例如：
Today, Koreans regard Kim as a competent president. (正确)
今天，韩国人视金大中为一位称职的总统。
例3
His idea of a perfect evening is quite different than hers. (不佳)
他心目中理想的夜晚与她所想的十分不同。
美国口语中常会将different than连用。不过，标准英文的写作要求和口语英文不一样，写作时就得用different from才行：
His idea of a perfect evening is quite different from hers. (正确)
例4
Under pressure, he is more likely to give up as to persevere. (误)
在压力之下，他很可能会放弃，而不会坚持到底。
比较级的相关字组包括表示「大于」的more... than，表示 「等于」的as... as，以及表示「小于」的less…than和not so... as 等等，不能混淆。例4就是错在用as搭配more使用，应改为正 确的相关字组more... than ：
Under pressure, he is more likely to give up than to persevere. (正确)
例5
John and his wife have decided to separate, because each does not love the other any more. (不佳)
约翰和他太太决定分居，因为彼此已经不再相爱了。
表示「彼此、互相」的相关字组不是each... the other，而是 each other，所以应改为：
John and his wife have decided to separate, because they do not love each other any more. (正确)
还有，如果是三个人以上，则应该用one another表示：
Chinese everywhere should help one another. (正确) 各地的中国人都应该互相帮助。
例6
Microbes are not plants nor animals. (误)
微生物既不是植物也不是动物。
「既不是…也不是」的相关字组是neither... nor，而不是not... nor。
Microbes are neither plants nor animals. (正确)
和not配合的相关字组是but或but rather，表示「不是…而 是…」，例如：
Microbes are neither plants nor animals, but a separate phylum. (正确)
微生物既不是植物也不是动物，而是独立的一门。
neither... nor中含有否定的not，配合后面的but构成一个正 确的相关字组。
例7
His poor performance is attributable not so much to incompetence but rather to lack of interest.
他表现欠佳的主要原因不是无能，而是没有兴趣。
这个句子看起来好像没有什么错误，因为可以看到not... but rather的相关字组。可是仔细一看却不是这么回事。它前面不是 单纯的not，而是not so much，应该配合的是as，成为比较级 not so much... as的相关字组才对：
His poor performance is attributable not so much to incompetence as to lack of interest. (正确)
例8
The figures quoted above are subject to be changed without further notice. (误)
以上引用的数字可能会有变动，不另行通知。
相关字组be subject to的意思是「可能受到…」，其中的to是 介系词，后面只能接名词类，不能接原形动词：
The figures quoted above are subject to change without further notice. (正确)
句中的change是名词。
例 9
I know my friend is not capable to do such horrible deeds. (误)
我知道我的朋友做不出这种可怕的事。
这个句子中相关字组be capable of被误用为be capable to，
应改为：
I know my friend is not capable of such horrible deeds. (正确)
例10
The applicant impressed the personnel manager enough that he was hired on the spot. (不佳.)
应征者让人事经理留下深刻印象，所以当场就录取了。
enough应和不定词to连用，句中的enough that不是正确的 相关字组。如果要保留that子句不变，可以选择用so... that的相 关字组：
The applicant so impressed the personnel manager that he was hired on the spot. (正确)
例 11
Many people cannot distinguish a Chinese and a Japanese. (不佳)
许多人分辨不出中国人和日本人。
「区别」的相关字组是distinguish A from B或是distinguish between A and B。例 11 使用 distinguish... and 不是标准的用法。
应改为下面两种情形之一：
句1
Many people cannot distinguish a Chinese from a Japanese. (正确)
句2
Many people cannot distinguish between a Chinese and a Japanese. (正确)
例12
The consultant estimates that the project will take between 10 to 12 months to complete. (不佳)
这位顾问估计这个计划要花十到十二个月才能完成。
between A and B是正确的相关字组，from A to B也是正确
的相关字组。例12把两组相关字组搞混了，成为between... to， 所以不对，应改为下列两种情形之一：
句1
The consultant estimates that the project will take between 10 and 12 months to complete. (正确)
句2
The consultant estimates that the project will take IVom 10 to 12 months to complete. (正确)
之例13
Proper exercise not only burns up excess fat in the body and it
also strengthens the immune system.言呉 1 适当的运动不仅能消耗体内多余的脂肪，还能增强免疫系统。
正确的相关字组是not only... but also，例13在该用but的地 方使用and是第一个错误。另外，not only... but also是一组对等 连接词，有对称的要求。句中它连接的两个部分，一个是动词 (burns up...)，一个是子句(it strengthens...)，并不对称。应修改如下：
Proper exercise not only burns up excess fat in the body but also t 1 strengthens the immune system.正确)
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