1) 在引用別人的原話時,被引用的句子稱為直接引語(Direct Speech):
I never eat meat, he explained. “我從不吃肉?”他解釋說。
What's the matter? "Nothing," she answered. “什么事?”“沒事?”她答道。
He said, "I have lost my wallet." 他說,“我的皮夾子丟了?”
在用直接引語時,引語前后要加引號,引導引語的動詞稱為引用動詞(Reporting Verbs)。除say,ask,answer,reply之外,還有許多其他引用動詞:
Listen, she whispered. “聽著?”她低聲說。
Who is it? Wilson shouted.“是誰?”威爾遜嚷到。
Look out! she screamed.“小心?”她叫到。
I'm leaving at once, he told me. 他告訴我,“我馬上要走了?”
It won't cost much, she assured me. 她向我保證,“這花不了多少錢?”
But it will take longer, Jim objected. 吉姆反對說,“但這樣花的時間就要長一些?”
2) 引用動詞多數放在后面,有時放在前面(見上例),間或插在引語中間:
Darling, Max said to her, "don't say it's impossible." “親愛的?”麥克斯對他說,“不要說這是不可能的?”
Sit up, he commanded, "and hold out your hands." “坐直了?”他命令道,“伸出手來?”
I presume, he commented, "that she will learn how to do it in time." “我想?”他評論說,“慢慢她會學會怎么做的?”
I do hope, said Mary, "they haven't forgotten all about it." “我真希望?”瑪麗說,“他們沒把這事全忘掉?”
3) 在把引用動詞放在后面時,有時主語和動詞位置可以顛倒(特別是主語較長時):
We wish we didn't have to take exams, said the children.“要是我們不用考試就好了?”孩子們說。
Bill wants to go alone, said Lily, "but I'drather he went with a group." “比爾想一個人去?”莉莉說,“但我寧愿他帶一組人去?”
I shall be 20 tomorrow, said Peter. 彼得說,“明天我二十歲?”
The children had better go to bed early, said Tom.“孩子們最好早點去睡覺?”湯姆說。
如果主語較短,放在前面更好一些:
What's the meaning of that? he asked. “這是什么意思?”他問道。
No, thank you, she replied.“不用了,謝謝你?”她回答道。
Here you are at last! she exclaimed (exclaimed Jack's mother).“你終于到了?”她(杰克的母親)叫道。
1) 當用自己的話報導別人的話時,被報導的部分稱為間接引語(Indirect Speech),這種結構稱為引語結構(Report Structure):
Kitty said she could wait another day. 凱蒂說她可以再等一天。
Tom replied that he was going by plane. 湯姆回答說他將坐飛機去。
這時被引語部分常常是引用動詞的賓語。除了say,reply這幾個詞以外,還有許多動詞可引導間接引語:
I felt I had little energy left. 我感到沒剩多少力氣了。
I guess they've already got home. 我猜他們已經到家了。
She complained that the exam was too hard. 她抱怨說考題太難了。
He explained that the buses were not running. 他解釋說公共汽車停駛了。
I objected that he was too young for the position. 我反對說他年紀太小不能擔任這個職務。
I protected that I had no view of that sort. 我分辯說我沒有那種看法。
在多數情況下,引語都由連詞that引導,但在say,tell等詞后(在口語中)可以省略:
He said (that) he had lost the wallet. 他說他的錢包丟了。
Tell him I am out. 告訴他我不在家。
2) 把直接引語變成間接引語時,要根據意思改變人稱:
3) 同時要根據時態(tài)呼應的原則把時態(tài)加以調整 (關于這一點可參閱第8.8.1節(jié)):
如一般過去時有表示具體時間的狀語,也可以不變:
4) 指示代詞、地點及時間狀語等也需要作必要的變動:
這類改變大致可以下表表示:
不過改變時不必過于機械,要根據實際情況靈活掌握,如果說話的地點沒有改變,或是當天說的話,有時狀語就不必變了。例如:
She said (today) she'dcall back again tonight.
She said (just now) she had got back yesterday.
She said (this morning) she was leaving tomorrow afternoon.
He said (yesterday) he was leaving today.
5) 在下面情況下動詞形式不作改變:
a. 虛擬語氣:
b. 某些情態(tài)動詞:
c. 過去進行時(有時不變):
6) 除了用say以外,還可以用各種動詞作引用動詞:
"I've just heard the news." He told me he'djust heard the news.
"It won't cost much." He answered me it wouldn't cost much.
"I did it." He admitted that he had done it.
"He was rude to me." She complained he'd been rude to her.
"You are late." He whispered that I was late.
"I can speak six languages." He boasted he could speak six languages.
"I won't tell anyone." He promised he wouldn't tell anyone.
1) 直接問句可以變?yōu)殚g接問句,如:
He said, "Where is she going?"
He asked where she was going.
從這里可以看出間接問句前無需加連詞,連接代(副)詞就起連接作用了。間接問句除連接代(副)詞提前外,其他部分都用自然語序,同時后面不再加問號,而用句號:
* * *
* * *
2) 一般問句、選擇問句和反意問句變成間接問句之時,前面可用if 或whether:
* * *
* * *
3) 有時直接問句也可以變?yōu)椴欢ㄊ剑ńY構)或其他結構:
Shall I bring you some tea? He offered to bring me some tea.
Will you stand still? He told me to stand still.
Will (Would) you file the letters? He asked me to file the letters.
Would you like to come for a drink? He invited me round for a drink.
Shall we meet at the theater? He suggested meeting at the theatre.
1) 在引用祈使句時,多使用一個不定式,前面謂語根據語氣來決定:
Lie down, Tom. He told Tom to lie down.
Don't swim in that river. He warned us not to swim in that river.
Go away! He ordered them to go away.
Do give us more time, please. He begged me to give them more time.
Show us your passport. They asked her to show them her passport.
Please sit down. She invited me to sit down.
Please don't take any risks! She begged (implored) him not to takeany risks.
Don't forget to post that letter. He reminded me to post that letter.
Go on, apply for the job. He urged me to apply for that job.
See a neurologist. He advised me to see a neurologist.
Stay where you are. He commanded us to stay where we were.
2) 有時可使用一個從句:
Let's break into small groups. Someone suggested that we should breakinto small groups.
Don't open the letter. He said I wasn't to open the letter.
Meet me at the station. He says we are to meet him at the station.
Don't drive so fast. He told me that I shouldn't drive so fast.
Let them go to their consul. She said they should go to their consul.
Lift the ban. He commanded that the ban be lifted.
Release that man at once. He ordered the man be released at once.
3) 感嘆句一般不宜改為間接引語,用直接引語更能傳神。偶爾也有改為間接引語的: