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文法b
| １１）文先生前天給我那本故事書真有趣，所以我越看越喜歡
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That story book Mr. Man gave me yesterday is very interesting, and the more I read it, the more I like it.
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is Ａ有趣，所以越Ｂ越Ｃ, where Ａis something of interest that becomes increasingly Ｃwith Ｂ.
Note 2: There appears to be an error with the clause文先生前天給我那本故事書真有趣,
because the relationship between 真有趣 and the rest of the clause is
unclear. Consider the following three possibilities:
1) Ａ真有趣 where Ａis 文先生前天給我那本故事書
2) Ｂ的那本故事書真有趣 whereＢis文先生前天給我
3) 那本Ｂ的故事書真有趣 whereＢis文先生前天給我
Whereas item #1 can mean that either the book or the giving of the book
are interesting, item #2 suggests that the book itself is interesting.
Item #3 is undisputably clear on this latter point.
Note 3: The clause 我越看越喜歡 is of the pattern Ａ越Ｂ越Ｃ, where Ｃis the result
of Ａ's performing Ｂincreasingly. I have translated it somewhat loosely
to mean that Ｃincreases with Ｂ.
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| １２）因為這𥚃又近山，又近河，山上有涼風，河𥚃有涼水，所以很涼快。
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The mountain air and river water are cool, and both are close. For these reasons it is very refreshing here.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is 因為Ａ，所以Ｂ, where Ａis the reason for Ｂ.
Note 2: The construction of the clause 這裡又近山，又近河，山上有涼風，河裡有涼水 is
curious, because there is no apparent grammatical connection between
the phrase 這裡 and the phrases 又近山，又近河. If a grammatical link does
exist, then it must be contained in the construction 又Ａ，又Ｂ implying
the presence of both Ａand Ｂ, or alternatively, in the construction Ａ近Ｂ,
where 近 serves as a verb connecting Ａ and Ｂ.
In contrast, the grammatical connection between the cool water 涼水 and
its location 山上, and between the cool air 涼風 and its location 河裡 is
made clear by the construction Ａ有Ｂ.
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| １３）雖然很熱，但是他還穿很多衣服，因為他怕着涼，怕看醫生，怕吃藥。
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Although
it is very hot, he is still wearing a lot of clothing. He
is afraid that he will catch a cold and have to see a doctor and take
mediclne.
Note 1: The base pattern for this sentence is 雖然Ａ，但是Ｂ，因為Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｅ。Where
Ｂis a condition that contradicts Ａ and is motivated by Ｃ, Ｄ, and Ｅ.
In what appears to be typical Chinese syntax the sentence element Ｂ
plays a dual role in two very different logical constructs -- namely,
雖然Ａ，但是Ｂ and Ｂ，因為Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｅ. In the first construct Ｂ contradicts Ａ;
in the second, it is what is explained by Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｅ.
Although single word elements often serve dual roles in the same
English sentence, it is very rare that an entire clause serves more
than one logical role.
Note 2: The first two clauses 雖然很熱，但是他還穿很多衣服 form a single logical
defined by the conjunctions 雖然 and 但是, What follows the conjunction 但是
is not what we would expect given what follows 雖然. One does not usually
wear a lot of clothing when it is very hot.
Note 3: The clauses 他還穿很多衣服，因為他怕着涼，怕看醫生，怕吃藥 form the second logical
unit and is of the form Ｂ，因為Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｅwhere Ｃ, Ｄ, and Ｅhang together as a
single clause that provide the motivation for Ｂ.
The base pattern of the clause Ｃ, Ｄ, Ｅis 他怕Ｃ，怕Ｄ，怕Ｅ, where Ｃ, Ｄ,
andＥare single verb phrases indicating what it is that 他 fears -- in
this case, catching a cold 着涼, seeing a doctor 看醫生, and taking
medicine 吃藥.
Note 4: The use of the word 還 in this context is something akin to
still and implies that everyone else is no longer wearing a lot of
clothing.
Note 5: The 很 in 很熱 and in 很多衣服 mean approximately the same -- more than usual.
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| １４）我說「你吃完了晚飯，然後到學生會去開會吧！」他說「當然，當然。」
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I said, "After you have finished dinner, go and start the meeting". He said, "Of course, of course".
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is 我說「Ａ！」他說「Ｂ。」where Ａ and Ｂ
are two utterances from the same person about something he and
another said.
Note 2: The statement of the first person is of the pattern Ａ，然後Ｂwhere
Ｂis what the speaker told 他 to do after he completed Ａ. The sentence
suffice 吧 indicates that a command was given. The speaker
tells the listener that he told someone to
go to a student meeting and open it, after he finished dinner.
Note 3: The verb construction 吃完了 in the phrase 你吃完了晚飯 can probably be
best understood by contrasting it with the construction 吃了. There is a
difference between having eaten and having completed one's meal.
One can have eaten 吃了 without having finished one's meal 吃完了.
Note 4: There is no subject after 然後; rather, 然後 serves merely as a
conjuntion between the action 吃完了晚飯 and the actions 到學生會去 and 開會.
Note 5: The repetition of the phrase 當然，當然 is used for emphasis. There is no change in the meaning.
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| １５） 我對他說「這件事這樣做，你覺得對不對？」他說「我反對這樣做。」 |
I told him, "Don't you feel this matter should be handled in this way" He said, "I oppose doing it in this way."
Note 1: The base pattern of this dialogue is Ａ對Ｂ說「Ｃ？」Ｂ說「Ｄ」where Ｂresponds to Ａ's comment Ｃby saying Ｄ.
Note 2: The use of 對 in the phrase 我對他說 apparently identifies the
indirect object 他 of the verb 說. The position of the phrase 對他 before
the verb, rather than after is of particular interest.
Note 3 (return to sentence 4, note 2d): The construction of the cited statement 「這件事這樣做，你覺得對不對？」is similar to what we have already seen ime and time again, the placement of a direct object at the beginning of sentence, separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
In effect, the speaker wants to know the listener's feeling about doing
a thing in a certain way. The thought of doing something in a certain
way 這件事這樣做 is placed before the speaker's solicitation of the
listener's opinion 你覺得對不對.
Note 4: The phrase 你覺得對不對 can be translated to mean "Don't you feel the same". Literally translated it means "Don't you feel?"
Note 5: Once again, placing the direct object of a verb before a verb
in the absence of a subject indicates passive voice. This can be
observed in the construction 這件事這樣做 in which 這件事is placed before the
verb 做.
Consider now the contruction「我反對這漾做」. The base pattern is 我反對Ａ, where
Ａis the direct object of the verb 反對. The direct object is, of course,
這漾做. The manner in which the understood object is performed is placed
before the verb. The placement of adverbs before a verb is standard
Chinese syntax.
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| １６）我說「這個表又時興，又大方，你怎麼不買呢？」他說「對不起，我沒有興趣。」 |
I
asked, "This watch is both trendy and elegant. Why aren't you buying
it?" He replied, "Sorry, I'm not interested."
Note
1: The base pattern of this reported dialogue is Ａ說「Ｃ？」Ｂ說「Ｄ。」where Ａ is
the speaker reporting about a conversation that he or she had with Ｂ.
Note 2: The base pattern of the first citation is Ａ又Ｂ又Ｃ，你怎麼不Ｄ呢？where
Ａis something characterized by bothＢandＣ, and the speaker wants to know
why the listener does not doＤas a result. In particular, Ａis a watch
這個表 that is both trendy 時 and elegant 大方 and the speaker cannot
understand why the listener does not buy it 你怎麼不買呢.
Note 3: The base pattern of the second citation is 對不起，Ｂwhere Ｂis given
as the reason that the speaker declines 對不起. In this case, the speaker
我 has no interest 沒有興趣.
| | １７）他有很多趣事，說的話也很有趣，所以他的話，大家越來越喜歡聽。
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He has many interests and what he says is very interesting, so everyone is listening more and more to what he has to say.
Note 1: The base pattern of this sentence is Ａ，Ｂ，所以Ｃ, where Ａand Ｂare two separate conditions or events that result in Ｃ.
Note 2: The base pattern for the first event is Ａ有Ｂ趣事, where Ｂtells us
the kind of interests that Ａhas -- in this case, the speaker's many 很多
interests 趣事. Important to note here is that 趣事 serves as a modifiable
direct object of the verb有.
Note 3: The base pattern for the second event is Ａ也很有趣 where Ａis a
thing in which one can easily take interest -- namely, what the person
says 說的話. Here 有趣 is a modifiable quality of Ａ. In translation 很有趣
means very interesting.
Note 4: The base pattern for the result is Ｂ，Ａ越夾越ＣＤ whereＢis the direct
object of what Ａgradually does more of -- namely, ＣＤ. In this case, the
direct object is placed at the beginning of the clause for the purpose
of emphasis. In translation "everyone 大家 likes to listen 喜歡聽 to what he
has to say 他的話 more and more 越來越".
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| １８）我們想辦報，因為不夠錢，所以辦不來，怎麼辦呢？他說「我有辦法。」
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We want to start a paper, but don't have enough money to run it. What can we do? He said, "I have the means".
Note 1: The base pattern of this passage is Ａ，因為Ｃ，所以Ｄ，Ｅ？Ｂ說「Ｆ。」where Ａ
is something that the speaker and others whom he knows want to do, and
Ｄis the result of Ｃ that makes it difficult to perform Ａ. Ｅ is a
question related to overcoming the difficulty. Ｆis what Ｂanswers in
reply to Ａ.
Note 2: Let us consider first the question and the problem that gives
rise to it. This construction typifies Chinese sentence structure, in
so far as two conceptually related thoughts are loosely bound together
grammatically.
Note 3a: The base pattern of the reason for the question is given by Ａ想Ｂ，因為Ｃ，所以（Ｂ）辦不來.
Note 3b: The construction Ａ想Ｂdiffers from English insofar as there is
no word that links what one desires with the act of desiring. In
English this same thought is constructed with either a relative clause
or an infinitive that serves as the direct object to what one wants. In
this case, the speaker and others 我們 want 想 to run a newspaper business
辦報.
Note 3c: In addition, the pattern Ａ，因為Ｃ，所以Ｄis a confused grammatical
mix that can be best understood by the conceptual links that bind the
sentence fragments.
The subject of the construct 因為Ｃ，所以Ｄ is found in clause Ａ -- namely,
我們. Other than the missing subject 我們 no grammatical link binds
thoughtＡwith that contained in 因為Ｃ，所以Ｄ
. Though the logical consequence of Ｃ, thought Ｄ contradicts Ａ;
there is no word element to express this logical contradition. It
must be derived by the listener or reader from the conceptual context.
Consider the two notions 我們想辦報，但是不夠錢 and 我們想辦報，但是辦不來. Then, consider
the thought 因為我們不夠錢，所以辦報不來. Clearly the fact that they do not have
enough money 我們不夠錢 serves two logically different grammatical roles.
Note 4: In the sentence part 因為不夠錢，所以辦不來 the word 夠 apparently
functions as a verb meaning "have enough" or "is enough". So, 不夠錢
means "do not have enough".
Note 5: The sentence part 怎麼辦呢? is a question that can stand alone in
English. The sentence suffix 呢 tells us that it is a question. 怎麼
functions as a question word meaning "what".
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| １９）海關的人說「那機關的事，跟你沒有關係，你為甚麼這樣關心呢？」
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Customs said, "That organization's things are none of your business. Why are you so concerned?"
Note 1: The base pattern is Ａ說「Ｂ？」 Although very simple the base
pattern of this sentence is curious. The introductory word to the
citation is 說, rather than some other word indicating that a question was
asked.
Note 2: The base pattern to the citation is Ａ，你為甚麼Ｂ？where Ａis an
obversation made by the speaker that leads to the question introduced
by the question word 為甚麼. The sentence suffix 呢 indicates that a
question is asked.
Note 3: The base pattern for the observation 那機關的事，跟你沒有關係 is Ａ跟Ｂ沒有關係.
The speaker states that there is no relationship 沒有關係 between the
listener 跟你 and the affairs of a known organization different from customs 那機關的事. It is
difficult to explain the placement of the comma, as nothing appears
unusual about the order of the word elements.
Note 4: The base pattern of the question 你為甚麼這樣關心呢？ is 你為甚麼這樣ＢwhereＢis
some action that the speaker believes the listener may be over
indulging in. The phrase 這樣 behaves as an adverb modifying the verb 關心.
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| ２０）這件事很難，我幫不了。他會辦事，也是個好幫手，你叫他幫忙吧。
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This is a difficult matter, and I can't help you with it. He can manage it and is a good helper. Ask him to help!
Note 1a: The base pattern to the first sentence is Ａ很難，我幫不了 where Ａ很難 is the reason why the speaker 我 cannot help 幫不了.
Note
1b: The phrase 幫不了 is of the form Ａ不了 where Ａis some activity that
can or will not take place. In this case, the speaker cannot help 幫不了 the
listener with a very difficult 很難 matter 這件事 known by both the
speaker and the listener.
Note 1c: The character 件 is a counter for 事. Thus, 這件事 means "this matter".
Note 2a: The base pattern of the second sentence is 他Ａ，也是Ｂ，你叫他Ｃ吧 where
the speaker recommends that the listener tell another to perform
Ｃ, and gives as reasons Ａ and Ｂ.
Note 2b: The reasons given are that the recommended person 他 can handle
the matter 會辦事 and that he is a very helpful person 是個好幫手.
Note
2c: Why the speaker does not say 一個好幫手 is probably for the same reason
that an English speaker would not say "one very helpful person", but "a
very helpful person".
Note 2d: 你叫他幫忙吧 is what the speaker tells the listener 你 to do. He
tells the listener 你 to ask (call) 叫 the third party 他 to help 幫忙. The command
or recommendation is signaled by the sentence suffix 吧.
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