There be 结构是一常见的表示“存在”的句型,但是,该结构不表示“存在”意义的现象又广见于书面语及口语,它以否定句的形式出现,用于对某一具体行为和抽象概念的否定。其惯用结构一般有以下三种:
一、There is + no + Noun + in doing something
1.其中名词为表“利弊”、“用途”的抽象名词,如:
There is no good in going. 去没有什么好处。
There is no harm in doing that. 那样做并无害处。
There is no use in doing it. 干此事毫无用处。
2.其中名词为表“价值”、“意义”的抽象名词,如:
There is no sense in waiting here. 在这里等候下去毫无意义。
There is no point in doing so. 这样做毫无意义。
There is no disgrace in failing once. 一旦失败也不丢脸。
(注:此结构中的介词可以省略,如:There is no use asking her—she doesn’t know anything.)
二、There is + no + doing something
1.其中的动词(do)多为“转述”或“认知”等意义的动词,如:tell, say, know等,其后一般跟疑问句,如when,what等。
There is no saying what may happen. 很难说会发生什么事。
There is no telling when he will return. 说不清他何时回来。
There is no knowing when we shall meet again. 不知何时我们能再相会。
2.其他动词,其意义相当灵活。
There is no mistaking what ought to be done. 应该做什么是清楚的。
There is no denying the fact. 事实无可否认。
There is no holding back the wheel of history. 历史的车轮不能倒转。
There is no getting along with him. 他很难相处。
Once she starts talking, there is no stopping her. 一旦她打开话匣子,就说个没完。
There is no joking with him. 和他不能开玩笑。
三、There is + no + Action Noun
此结构的含义相当于It’s impossible /unnecessary to do something。如:
There is no hurry about it. 没有必要这么急匆匆的。
There is no question of his honesty. 他的诚实是勿庸置疑的。
有时,在此结构中的Action Noun被动名词形式所取代,其意义不变。试比较:
There is no escape from the evident.
There is no escaping the fact.
两句都表示:无法逃(躲)避……
但是,有时也存在意义上的区别,试比较:
a. There is no doubt at all about it.
b. There is no doubting her virtue.
句a为“存在句”,意即:对于此事不存在任何的疑问。
句b则是不表“存在”的一种惯用结构,意即:她的贞操勿庸置疑。
以上三种结构除用于陈述句外,尚可见于疑问句。如:
Is there any use in discussing the matter further? 这种事再讨论下去有何益处?
Is there any hurry about it? 这事需要匆忙吗?
此惯用结构中的be有时可与情态动词连用,其语气更趋委婉。如:
There could be no mistaking where he had come from. 他从哪里来是相当清楚的。
此结构中的no也不是一成不变的,它可被其他形式所取代。如:
There isn’t any getting away from it. 要从它那里逃脱是不可能的。
There was never believing half of what he said. 他的话连一半也不信。
There’s never any predicting what they will do next. 无法料及他们下一步将会干什么
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