相似英语词汇辨析118:Only Chen's son criticized him. Chen's only son iticized him.Chen's son only criticiz
118 Only Chen's son criticized him. Chen's only son iticized him.Chen's son only criticized him.Chen's son crificized him only.
在英语里,我们经常会碰到only这个词。它一般作副词或形容词用,作“仅仅”或“唯一”解。值得注意的是,它在句中往往可以放在不同的位置,句子的涵义随着only位置的变化而变化。
第一句的意思是“只有老陈的儿子批评他”;第二句是“老陈的独子批评他”;第三句是“老陈的儿子只不过批评他”(言外之意是并没有打他或骂他”);第四句的意思是“老陈的儿子只批评他一个人”(并没有批评其他人)。
第四句亦可写作Chen's son criticized only him.把only 调至him之前,意思不变。第一、三句的only是副词;第二、四句的only是形容词。
从上列例句可以看出,更换某些词在句中的位置往往会使句子产生不同的意义。初学英语者对类似的句子应加以注意,以免误解原意。下面再举数例,以见一斑:
Happily he did not die.
他幸而不死。
He did not die happily.
他不得好死。
I don't like wine very much.
我并不很喜欢喝酒。
I don't like very much wine.
我不想喝太多酒。
下面各例,请读者自己揣摩其义:
He is standing still.(不动)
He is still standing.(仍然)
He told me yesterday what Charles said.(他说话的时间)
He told me what Charles said yesterday.(Charles说话的时间)
We heard from the policeman all about his escape.(我们从警察口中听到)
We heard all about his from this policeman.(他从警察手里逃走)
Please return before Monday all books that you have borrowed from the library.(还书时间)
Please return all books that you have borrowed from the library before Monday.(借书时间)
I often wake up during the night.(经常醒来)
I wake up often during the night.(经常在晚间)
He was not only a boy.(不单是个男孩)
He was only not a boy.(不是个男孩)