中国英语学习者因果连词与因果复句主从句关系的原型对应分析
因果关系是英语中的一种重要的衔接关系,本文从用法入手,用列举例句的方法探讨和总结英语中包括连词、动词、介词、动词短语、副词等引起的各类因果关系。
先看一组表示因果关系的连词:for, since, as, becau,它们的语气强弱依次为Becau since as for. 其中becau ,since, as均为从属连词,引导原因状语从句;而for是并列连词,引导并列句。
1. becau表示直接原因,它所表示的原因通常是听话人所不知道的,其语气最强,常用来回答why的提问,一般放在主句的后面,有时也可放在主句的前面,也可以单独存在。如:(1) I did it becau he told me to.是他吩咐我才做的。(2)Just becau I don’t complain, people think I’m satisfied.就因为我不发牢骚,大家便以为我满意了。(3)Why is she abnt? 她为什么缺席?Becau she is sick. 因为她生病了。此外,在强调句型中,表示原因只能用becau,如:4)It was becau I misd the early bus that I was late for school.我上学迟到是因为我没有赶上早班车。
2. since侧重主句,从句表示的理由已经显然或者已经为听话人所知,常译为“因为”、“既然”,语气比becau稍弱,通常置于句首,但有时也位于句中,表示一N含有勉强语气的原因。如:(5)Since he asks you, you’ll tell him why. 他既然问你,你就告诉他为什么吧。(6)We thought that, since we were in the area, we’d stop by and e them. 我们想,既然到了这个地方,就该顺便去看看他们。
3. as表示“因为”的意思时主从并重,表示的原因是显而易见的原因,或者理由不太重要,含义与since相同,但语气相对较弱,没有那么正式。如:(7)As you were out, I left a message.你不在,所以我留了个字条儿。
4. for是并列连词,引导的并列分句一般不放在句首,不能解释某件事的发生的必然原因,只能提供附加的解释和说明。这时for前多加逗号。如:(8)如:She does not go out in the winter,for she feels the cold a great deal.――她冬天不出门,因为她很怕冷。但是当for引导的句子与前边的句子有一定的逻辑关系时,可以放在名首,起承上启下的作用。如:(9)For ,you e, they trusted their own n of touch very much. 因为,你知道,他们非常相信自己的触觉。
有些介词可以表示原因,如at,for,with,from等。
5. at:作为原因介词,一般由于某种原因导致某人某种情绪的时候,可以用at,常和glad, amud, plead等连用。如:(10)I am glad at the news. 听到这则消息,我感到很高兴。(我因为你的英语很流利而惊奇。)(11)I laughed at her joke. 我因为听了她说的笑话而大笑起来。
6. for是最常用的原因介词,相当于becau of,常和sorry, famous, punish, prai, thank, reward,blame等词连用,后跟sth. /doing sth.。如: (12)I am sorry for what I said to you. 我后悔刚才对你说了那话。(13)He was rewarded for his bravery. ―他因英勇而得到嘉奖。(14)Thank you for your help/reminding. 谢谢你的帮助/提醒。(因为你的帮助和提醒而谢谢你。
7. with: 后面一般跟名词表示原因,主语是人时着重在对现在经历的事件感到满意、害怕等,主语是事物的时候表示导致目前状态的原因。比如:(15)She was trembling with fear.――她因为害怕而发抖。(17)The grass was wet with rain.――因为下雨,草地湿了。
8. from可以表示原因,后面跟doing sth.。表示导致谓语动作的起因。如:(18)In this way lf-confidence grows, first from mastering a subject, then from being able to talk about it.这样,你的自信心不断增强,先是因为掌握了一门学问,接下来是因为能够就此发表见解。
9. about 表原因,情感是由about后面的动作或事物带来的。(19)He emed to be excited about something. 他看上去似乎因为什么而特别兴奋。
10. by表示某种情感的源头,如:(20)The children were very excited by the pantomime. 孩子们看了童话剧感到非常兴奋。
due to, owing to, becau of, thanks to这些词组均表示“由于”之意。
11. due to用于较庄重的书面语中,侧重“起因于”,大多数情况下表示坏的原因,在句中多作表语,有时作状语。如:(21) His lateness was due to the very heavy traffic on the motorway. 他迟到是因为高速公路上车辆过多所致。(22)Due to the heavy traffic, he was late.因交通拥挤,他迟到了。due to也可以直接用在名词之后,如:(23)Accidents
due to driving at high speed were very common that weekend. 在那个周末因高速驾驶所造成的交通事故很多。
12. owing to可以和due to换用,但在句中多作状语,也可作表语。如:(24)Owing to the heavy traffic, he was late. 因交通拥挤,他迟到了。(25)His success was owing to his hard work. 他能成功是因樗很努力。
13. becau of 指事物动作发生的直接原因,可以指好的原因和坏的原因,在句中通常作状语。如:(26)He succeeded becau of his hard work.他因为努力学习而成功了。(27)He was abnt from class becau of the heavy snow. 因为雪太大,他没有去上学。
14. thanks to突出一种感激之情,含“多亏”意味,表示产生好的结果的原因。如:(28)She eventually got to airport thanks to good weather.多亏了好天气,她终于到达了机场。还有习语no thanks to sb./sth. 意思是“并非某人或某事物之功”,如:(29)It’s no thanks to you that we arrived on time―your short cuts weren’t short cuts at all. 我们及时赶到可并没有叨你的光―你说的近路一点儿也不近!thanks to sb./sth.有时做反语,多亏……如:
(30)Thanks to the bad weather, the match had been cancelled. 多亏了这个倒霉的天气,挺好的比赛取消了。
15. on account of, 表示客观的原因。如:(31)We delayed our departure on account of the bad weather.有于天气不好,我们将启程的时间推迟了。