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英文疑难详解 200.a number of 和 the number of
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在 Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English 的665页上,有 A number of books (=some books) is missing from the library.一例,为什么要接单数动词呢?括弧内说主语等于 some books,这分明是复数,自应接复数动词才对。请就 a number of 的用法,加以说明。
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【解答】依照 Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language 上的解释是:a number of=several or many,意为“许多”,所以它后面必须接复数名词或代名词;既然是指的数,而且是指的多数,不是指的量,动词自然也应该用复数动词才合理,但老派的英国人因受“a”的牵引,也有用单数动词的,如质问中所提出的例子。不过多数的文法家,都认为用单数动词不算正当,因为逻辑上说不通。如能自圆其说,也就勉强可被接受了。例如:
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(a)An increasing number of students have made use of the library.
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(b)An increasing number of students has made it necessary to keep more copies of the same books.
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第一句的(a)例着重在“更多的学生”,第二句的(b)例着重“学生数的增加”。
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在 The New Century Dictionary 上举有 a number of complaints were made 一例。
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又在 Concise Dictionary of American Grammar and Usage(by Whitford& Foster,1955)及 Writer’s Guide and Index to English(by P. G. Perrin,1965)上都说 a number of 应接复数动词,the number of 后面才要接单数动词,并举有例句如下:
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A number of members are absent.(会员多数未到。)
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The number of members is alarming.(会员人数可惊。)
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这用法是比较合理而又正确的。若有人问我 What is the number of your house?我便将回答说: The number of my house is28.所指的是一个数目,当然应接单数动词,再举其他的例:
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The number of jobless people grows.(失业人数增多。)
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The number of deaths was very high.(死亡数很高。)
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The number of collectors is growing apace.(搜集者的人数激增。)
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Fortunately the number of the killed was fewer than imagined.(侥幸死亡人数没有想像的多。)
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现在我们再举几个 a number of 的例:
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There are a great number of parks in the city.(在那个市中有许多的公园。)
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A large number of foreigners visit Singapore every year.(每年有许多外国人到新加坡来游览。)
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A number of people were traveling in a horse carriage.(有不少的人曾用马车旅行。)
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A number of students were absent yesterday. (昨天曾有许多学生缺席。)
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这个 a number of 的表现法,又可改为 numbers of,后面还是接复数动词,例如:
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Numbers of people come to see the exhibition every day.(每天有许多人来看展览会。)
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但 a number of 如不用在主语上,便不会发生接用单复数动词的问题,如:
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We have received a number of letters complaining about our services.(我们接到了许多抱怨我们服务不周的信件。)
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