英语语言探秘系列之一:英语探秘Quantity的“数量”之惑

Quantity的“数量”之惑

刘永科

【问题】:“a (large) quantity of +名词”和“(large) quantities of +名词”,做主语时,谓语动词用单数还是复数?

关于这个问题,目前语法界众说纷纭。对此,我觉得有必要谈谈自己的看法。

这个问题实际是主谓一致的问题。首先,a (large) quantity of 和(large) quantities of,都可以接可数名词(复数形式),也可以接不可数名词(单数形式)。关于主谓一致,目前主要有3种观点:

1. 与词义保持一致(名词的单复数决定谓语动词的单复数):这种观点认为,不看 a quantity of 或 quantities of 本身,而应看词组后面接的是什么名词,如果后面的名词是单数,则谓语动词用单数;如果后面的名词是复数,则谓语动词用复数。这一点与 a lot of或lots of的用法相同,即遵循“意义一致”的原则。例如:

A large quantity of washing machines have been sold.

A great quantity of money was spent on the project.

Large quantities of books were sent to the village schools.

Large quantities of sand was washed down the hill by the rain.

2. 与词形保持一致(quantity的单复数决定谓语动词的单复数):这种观点认为,不看 a quantity of 或 quantities of 后面接单数名词还是复数名词,只看 quantity 本身。即:quantity 是单数,谓语动词就用单数;quantities 是复数,谓语动词就用复数。即遵循“语法一致”的原则。例如:

A large quantity of washing machines has been sold.

A great quantity of money was spent on the project.

Large quantities of books were sent to the village schools.

Large quantities of sand were washed down the hill by the rain.

3. 介于这两者之间。还有一种比较流行的观点(即张道真、薄冰、赵振才等教授的观点)就是:a (large) quantity of或(large) quantities of,其后均可跟不可数名词或复数名词。在句中作主语时,a quantity of接不可数名词时,谓语动词用单数形式;接可数名词复数时,谓语动词用复数形式。quantities of后接不可数名词或可数名词复数时,谓语动词都用复数形式。

A large quantity of washing machines have been sold.

A great quantity of money was spent on the project.

Large quantities of books were sent to the village schools.

Large quantities of sand were washed down the hill by the rain.

【个人观点】

主谓一致问题,“语法一致原则”或“意义一致原则”都有道理,在现实语言中也都普遍存在着。

观点一:把 a quantity of 和 quantities of 看作修饰限定语,而把后面的名词视为中心词。但是,“观点一”中的“quantities of +不可数名词+谓语动词单数”,在现实语言中并不存在。实际情况是,谓语动词用复数。因为没有谓语用单数的例证,所以,观点一不成立。

观点二:把 quantity 和 quantities 看作中心词,而把 of 后面的名词视为定语。因为语法更注重结构,所以单纯从语法角度,我比较倾向第二种观点:谓语动词与 quantity 的词形保持一致。这是因为,从结构上看,quantity和quantities均在名词短语里充当中心词。一般情况下,名词短语的数由中心词的数来决定,所以“观点二”最自然。

观点三:虽然不错,且英美语料库中也有大量的例句,但有两个不同的划分标准:quantity 单数时谓语看名词,复数时谓语看 quantities。结果是引入了例外,加大了记忆量,不符合“奥卡姆剃刀”的思维经济原则。

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