《由标点符号引起的错句》里谈到不完整和无休止的句子(run-on sentences)时,我曾指出句子不可以一个接一个,只有逗号,没有句点。
和不完整的句子有些相似的是不完整的结构(incomplete constructions)。这种结构属高层次情况,偶尔出现,也不奇怪,但是若能避免,那就更好了。
什么结构是不完整的呢?原因何在?
顾名思义,不完整结构就是一个结构中欠缺了某个语言成分,以致不合规格,导致句法上的困惑。例如下列这个句子便出现结构不完整的瑕疵:
“Thank you for your continuous interest and support for our magazines.”
这里要感谢的事有二:对杂志的兴趣与支持。
英译中不成问题,但“interest”后面要加“in”才可以和“support for”对称。缺少了“in”,这结构便不完整了。像这种情形,最好将两件事分开,因此,上面那句话可以改写如下:
“Thank you for your continuous interest in our magazines and your strong support for them.”
同样的,下面三个结构不完整的句子,也要作适当的调整,使句子的意思清楚易解:
① Sam is good and successful in painting.
② The Chairman’s argument was sound and adopted without any discussion.
③ Professor Chen has taught in many universities, London University and Harvard University.
在①句里,必须在“good”后面补上漏掉的介词“at”。在②里的第二个并列句的“……adopted……”是个被动式,前面的助动词“was”不可省。③里的“many universities”包括了所提的两所,所以要在它们前面加“including”或“such as”,才合逻辑。不然全句要改写如下:
“Professor Chen has taught in London University, Harvard University and many other universities.”
上面句子不是忽略了介词,便是少去了助动词等。还有些不完整的结构是发生在比较句中。例如:
④ Many buildings in Singapore are as modern as any other city.
这里把“buildings in Singapore”和“any other city”相比,逻辑何在?应该调整为建筑物间的比较才对:
“Many buildings in Singapore are as modern as those of any other city.”
⑤ The athlete is as strong, if not stronger than, the wrestler.
英语里的“as……as……”是连用的,因此这句要改为“The athlete is as strong as, if not stronger than, the wrestler.”但是为了紧凑起见,全句可改写如下:
“The athlete is as strong as the wrestler, if not stronger.”
⑥ Japanese cars use less petroleum.
这句话的小毛病是,另外一样被比较的东西不详,要补上使结构完整。
“Japanese cars use less petroleum than European cars.”