大家一般说,不定式作定语的时候,不定式与被修饰名词之间一般有四种逻辑关系,即主谓关系、动宾关系、同位关系和动状关系。但事实上不定式作定语,还有这四种逻辑关系以外的另一种关系。请各位老师剖析下面句子中不定式作定语与被修饰名词之间的逻辑关系。
She was fired because of her inability to make people feel at ease.
我没准时参与曹老师问题的讨论,是由于没考虑好被修饰名词跟不定式的另外两种关系,与怎么样命名的问题。
不定式作定语修饰名词。名词跟不定式的关系,除去大家常说的四种以外,还有“第五种关系”、“第六种关系”......。
第五种关系:
She was fired because of her inability to make people feel at ease.
她被解雇是由于她不可以叫人们感到放心。
【剖析】inability,意为“无能;没能力”,它跟不定式的关系是:它表达了不定式动作的情态意义,即“是不是可以做到;有无能力做到”。
▲ 英语中,这种名词可以细分为几个子类,比如:“能力、义务、愿望或倾向、推断” 意义的名词。后面接不定式作定语,表明不定式动作的“情态意义”。
▲ 这种名词的特点是,可以用其同源形容词,转换为:be + adj. to do 结构。
her ability to make people feel at ease:
She is able to make people feel at ease.
her inability to make people feel at ease:
She is unable to make people feel at ease
更多例句:
The public never had faith in his ability to handle the job. (能力)
公众从来不相信他有能力胜任这一职位。
He has an obligation to help support his parents. (义务)
他有义务帮助赡养爸爸妈妈。
I had to prove my willingness to work hard and accept the universitys authority. (愿望或倾向)
我得证明自己想努力工作,同意大学校方的管辖。
Her reluctance to get involved was understandable. (愿望或倾向)
她不愿介入是可以理解的。
He expressed his readiness to adopt the reform bill. (愿望或倾向)
他表示想使用那改革策略。
Toms anxiety to succeed led him to work hard. (愿望或倾向)
汤姆对成功的渴望使他愈加努力。
I was full of curiosity to meet Lord Marchmain. (愿望或倾向)
我心里充满了要见马奇梅因勋爵的好奇心。
His eagerness to get back home was quite obvious. (愿望或倾向)
他想回家的急切心情是非常明显的。
Does he have the possibility to change the idea? (推断)
他大概改变主意吗?
第六种关系:
His decision to retire surprised all of us.
他决定退休使大家大伙为之一惊。
【剖析】decision,意为“决定”,与动词decide 是同源。它跟不定式的关系是:与不定式动作是另外的一种“动宾关系”,即“决订做某事”。而much work to do,描述为:不定式与被修饰词是“动宾关系”。
▲ 这种名词的特点是:不定式是其同源动词的宾语。
His decision to retire = He decided to retire.
更多例句:
I feel a need to talk to you about it.
我感觉有必要跟你谈谈那件事。
Her refusal to help surprised us.
她拒绝帮助使大家感到非常吃惊。
He declared his intention to become the best golfer in the world.
他表明自己想要成为世界上最好的高尔夫球选手。
We have an agreement to always tell each other the truth about everything.
大家赞同无论何时彼此都要讲实话。
She expressed a desire to go on vacation.
她表示了想休假的愿望。
He said he regretted their failure to reach an agreement.
他说,他非常遗憾,他们没能达成共识。
I am afraid my attempt to make a cake was not very successful.
恐怕我做蛋糕的尝试是不会成功的。
His decision to retire surprised all of us.
他决定退休使大家大伙为之一惊。
Don’t forget your promise to write to me every week.
不要忘记每周给我写信的承诺。
以上讨论,如有错误或不妥,请曹老师雅正。我正在考虑和搜集“第七种关系”......