含有分隔结构的复杂句通常是指那些句子结构主谓、谓宾、宾补之间存在着其他成分。而有时这些介入成分又较长,从而使本来应该紧联在一起得句子成分被分隔开了。另外还有一种分隔结构是同位语和定语同它们所修饰得成分分隔,由于作同位语和作定语得句子太长,而后面得部分又太短,为了保证全句意思表达得完整性常常把同位语或定语放到句子最后,形成分隔得结构。一般来说分隔结构本身不难辨认,但当句子较长,成分较多,被分隔得部分又相距较远时就容易造成理解障碍,而且常常被分隔得成分又恰恰是句子得主干。因此准确判断分隔结构,理顺句子主干就成了理解这类句子得关键。
Exercise:
We live in a time when, more than ever before in history, people are moving about.
Evening had now come, the last of Adolf Hitler’s life.
Several neighbors hope to find safety in the only bomb shelter on their street when an announcement comes over the radio that enemy missiles are approaching.
要点分析和参考译文
要点:定语从句“people are moving about”被比较状语“more than ever before in history”分隔。此现象为“分隔定语”
参考译文:我们生活在一个四处奔波甚于历史上任何时期得时代。
要点:the last of Adolf Hitler’s life 作为evening得同位语,因为比较长而放在了句子后面,使句子平衡。
参考译文:夜晚已经来临,这是阿道夫希特勒生命中最后的一个夜晚。
要点:when引导的时间状语从句的主语 an announcement后带有一个that 引导的同位语从句(that enemy missiles are approaching),说明其内容,因为谓语部分太短,所以将同位语从句置于其后,以保持句子平衡。
参考译文:当广播里传出敌方导弹正在接近,几个邻居都希望在街道的唯一的一个防空洞中寻求完全。
Exercise
I plan to see her soon in England, though not, she reminded me, again at 10 Downing Street.
The cessation of the employment of extraordinary means to prolong the life of the body when there is irrefutable evidence that biological death is imminent is the decision of the patient and/or her immediate family.
With rock,illusion of shared feelings, bodily contact and grunted formulas, which are supposed to contain so much meaning beyond the speech, are the basis of association.
要点:让步状语though not again at 10 Downing Street 被插入语she reminded me所分隔。而且该让步状语是一个省略的结构,全句应为though(it will) not(be)again at 10 Downing Street. 还应看出让步状语所转达的意思正是插入语的宾语所要转达的意思。 she reminded me (it will not be again at 10 Downing Street)。省略和插入的使用使全句的意思得以很好地衔接连贯、结构紧凑,无多余的成分。
参考译文:我打算不久和她在英国见面,不过她提醒我地点不再是唐宁街十号了。
要点:此句话的主谓被很长一段定语成分所分隔,句子主干应是“The cessation...is the decision of the patient and/or her immediate family”,由于主干中的is前没有逗号分开,而且前面又出现了一个is imminent,还由于同主语The cessation拉开的距离太远,所以不容易很快找到。When前面的部分如果不注意很容易错误地理解为一个句子,即“The cessation...means to prolong the life of body.”实际上means是个名词,意为“方法,手段”,不是动词“意味着”。而且means前面有个形容词extraordinary作定语,不可能是动词,尽管意思上说得通。when引导的状语从句里带了一个定语从句that biological death is imminent,它们一起插入了主语和谓语之间。把means错当动词和状语带定语的插入使得整句的结构复杂化了,致使主干句的主谓不容易看出来。
参考译文:在有不可反驳的证据表明病人即将进入生理死亡时,停止采取非常措施来延长其生命应该由病人和(或)其直系亲属来作出决定。
要点:主干结构应是illusions...,...contact and ... formulas are the basis of association,但实际上这个主谓结构被一个长定语 which are supposed ...beyond the speech 所分隔。定语 which are supposed to contain so much meaning beyond the speech 所限定的词应该是illusions...contact and ... formulas 三个部分,而不是某一个词。
参考译文:有摇滚乐的伴随、共同情感的幻觉、身体的接触及惯用的嘟囔话语---这一切包含着许多语言之外的意义,构成了人们相互交往的基础。