現代英文中的「倒裝(Inversion)」 #5: 由意思上有「限制性」的副詞組「only X」所觸發的倒裝
本篇,我將討論在現代英文出現的詞序「倒裝」中,會出現「subject-auxiliary (主語 – 輔助動詞)」位置調換的第三種情景。
那就是:子句的核心中有一個以「only」開始的副詞組,被移至子句的開頭位置。
當一個子句開頭就是「only」的副詞組,以表達「只是 / 唯有...時」的意思時,便會觸發和要求「subject-auxiliary 」的倒裝。
在 newsletter #2 中,我舉過這樣的例子:
Only then did I realize the importance of his words.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
這句子的正常詞序應該是:
I only realized the importance of his words then.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
「only」是對整個子句意義有核心作用的副詞(我們的基礎課程中稱之為「核心子句副詞」),因此它最自然的位置是在限定動詞「realized」的前面,或在第一個輔助動詞之後(如有)。
「then」則是個普通的副詞,用以修飾子句中核心動作的時間,自然位置是被放在最後。這類型的副詞可以靈活地在子句中移動 ,像「I only then realized…」或「I only realized then…」就是另外兩個可行的位置,視乎我們想強調的重點是甚麼。但無論如何,它最自然的位置是在最後。
假如想強調出「only」的「限制」意思,表達子句的核心動作是發生在「then(那時)」而非之前,我們可以把它移到子句的開頭。
與此同時,我們還須要把時間副詞「then」也移前,組成副詞組「only then」,以表達「只是 (only) 在那時 (then)。」
這種以副詞「only」開頭的副詞組,會觸發現代英文中的「subject-auxiliary」倒裝法:
Only then did I realize the importance of his words.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
原本子句中的限定動詞是「realized」,由於沒有輔助動詞,我們要先加入一個額外的「do」(要配合正確字形)才能進行倒裝。同時也記得要把「realized」變回infinitive字形「realize」。
現在你應該也熟悉了它的運作吧 – 其實就跟所有會觸發這種倒裝的情景都一樣,而且與普通英文問題句的組成方式一致。
讓我們看另一句本身已包含輔助動詞的子句。第一句是正常詞序,第二句則用倒裝法改寫:
He will only find the courage to move forward then.
Only then will he find the courage to move forward.
(只有在那時,他才會能找到前進的勇氣)
由於這裡的限定動詞是「will find」,當中已包含輔助動詞「will」,因此在第二句中,我們只須把「will」和主語「he」交換位置。
在這種情況下,「only」副詞組的內容可以有很多不同變化,因為我們可以在「only」後面加入任何副詞或副詞組來表達其「限制性」。
再看另外兩個例子:
Only by working together can we achieve our common goals.
(唯有一起努力,我們才能實現共同的目標)
(原本詞序:We can only achieve our common goals by working together.)
Only with time and patience will the wounds begin to heal.
(只有經過時間和耐心,傷口才能開始癒合)
(原本詞序: The wounds will only begin to heal with time and patience.)
這些例句中,副詞組分別是由「only」與介詞組「by working together」,以及「only」與介詞組「with time and patience」所組成的。
由於「only」副詞組被放在開頭,「subject-auxiliary」倒裝便被觸發了。
第一句中的限定動詞是「can achieve」,因此輔助詞「can」便與主語「we」對調;
第二句中的限定動詞是「will begin」,因此輔助詞「will」便與主語「the wounds」對調。
其實,「subject-auxiliary」倒裝法的這種情景仍然是頗常用的。當你想要強調某件事只有在「當其他某事件發生時」才會發生,便可以考慮使用一下這種句式。
但要記得,如果限定動詞是「be」的其中一種字形,我們只須把「be」跟主與對調,而不用加入額外的「do」。例如:
Only then was he satisfied.
(只是在那時他才滿意)
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小練習:
嘗試將以下句子改寫成以「only」開頭的「subject-auxiliary」倒裝句:
We can only build a more harmonious society through understanding and compassion.
(唯有通過理解和同情,我們才能建立一個更加和諧的社會)After years of hard work and perseverance, he finally completed his degree; he only truly understood the value of his education then.
(經過多年的努力和堅持,他終於完成了學位;
只是在那時,他才真正理解他受的教育的價值)
_________________________
“Inversion” in Modern English #5:
Inversion triggered by “limiting” adverb phrases “only X”
In this installment of my newsletter series on “inversion” in modern English, I will discuss the third scenario in which “subject-auxiliary” inversion arises.
This scenario is when a clause has an adverb phrase headed by “only” at its core, and this adverb phrase is moved to the start of the clause.
When clauses start with an adverb phrase with “only” to express the meaning of “只是/唯有...時" – “subject-auxiliary” inversion is triggered and required.
In newsletter #2, I gave this example to illustrate this scenario:
Only then did I realize the importance of his words.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
The normal word order for this sentence would be:
I only realized the importance of his words then.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
The adverb “only” is an adverb that is core to the meaning of the entire clause (what we call “core clause adverbs” in our foundational course), and so its natural position is in front of the finite verb “realized” (or after the first auxiliary verb if there is one in the finite verb phrase).
The adverb “then” is a more general adverb that modifies the time of the core action in the clause, and its natural position is at the end. There is a lot of flexibility for an adverb like this to move within the clause – for example, “I only then realized…” or “I only realized then…” are two other positions for it, depending on emphasis – but its most natural position is at the end.
Now, if we want to emphasize the “limiting” meaning of “only” to express that the core action in the clause happened “then and not a moment before,” we can move it to the start of the clause.
When we do this, however, we need to move the time adverb “then” to the start as well, to form the adverb phrase “only then” to express "只是 (only) 在那時 (then).”
Such an adverb phrase, headed by the adverb “only,” would trigger and require “subject-auxiliary” inversion in modern English, giving us:
Only then did I realize the importance of his words.
(只有在那時我才意識到他說話的重要性)
Since the finite verb in the original clause is “realized,” without an auxiliary verb, we need to first add in the extra auxiliary “do” (in the correct form) to carry out the inversion. We also need to remember to change the original “realized” back to the infinitive form.
You should be familiar with this operation by now – it is the same with all the scenarios that require this type of inversion, and it is also consistent with normal question formation in English.
Let’s change up the finite verb to one that involves an auxiliary verb. The first sentence has normal word order, and the second one is rewritten with inversion:
He will only find the courage to move forward then.
Only then will he find the courage to move forward.
(只有在那時,他才會能找到前進的勇氣)
Since the finite verb phrase here is “will find,” which already contains an auxiliary verb “will,” we only need to invert this “will” and the subject “he” in the second example.
The adverb phrases with “only” in this scenario can be extremely varied because we can add any adverb or adverb phrase to “only” to make it “limiting” in meaning.
Here are two other examples:
Only by working together can we achieve our common goals.
(唯有一起努力,我們才能實現共同的目標)
(Original word order: We can only achieve our common goals by working together.)
Only with time and patience will the wounds begin to heal.
(只有經過時間和耐心,傷口才能開始癒合)
(Original word order: The wounds will only begin to heal with time and patience.)
In these examples, the adverb phrases are formed by “only” and the prepositional phrase “by working together” and “only” and the prepositional phrase “with time and patience” respectively.
Because of the position of this “only” adverb phrase, “subject-auxiliary” inversion is required. The finite verb in the first example is “can achieve,” so the auxiliary “can” is inverted with the subject “we.” The finite verb in the second example is “will begin,” so the auxiliary “will” is inverted with the subject “the wounds.”
This scenario of “subject-auxiliary” inversion is still quite common in usage. You can consider using it in your sentences when you want to emphasize that something will only happen “when something else happens.”
Also, remember that when the finite verb is a form of “be,” we can just invert the “be” with the subject without adding “do.” For example:
Only then was he satisfied.
(只是在那時他才滿意)
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Mini Exercise:
Try to rewrite these sentences with “only” at the start and “subject-auxiliary” inversion.
a. We can only build a more harmonious society through understanding and compassion.
(唯有通過理解和同情,我們才能建立一個更加和諧的社會)
b. After years of hard work and perseverance, he finally completed his degree; he only truly understood the value of his education then.
(經過多年的努力和堅持,他終於完成了學位;只是在那時,他才真正理解他受的教育的價值)
_______________
Answers:
a. Only through understanding and compassion can we build a more harmonious society.
b.…; only then did he truly understand the value of his education.
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