轉折詞後面須有逗點,但前面絕不可有逗點

  • John was ill. As a result, he could not come. (約翰病了,所以他不能來) (正)
  • John was ill; as a result, he could not come. (正)
  • John was ill. As a result he could not come. (誤)
  • John was ill, as a result, he could not come. (誤)

解說:英文常用的轉折詞 (transitional phrases) 有 however, therefore, consequently, nonetheless, nevertheless, as a result 等。這些轉折詞後面須有逗點,但前面絕不可有逗點 (前面要用句點或分號)。

Q: 國內不少人使用的 Yxxxx!字典有 “The dollar has gone down against the yen, therefore Japanese goods are more expensive for Americans.” 這樣一個例句。但這句對嗎?

A:這句犯了一個相當常見且非常嚴重的錯誤,也就是英文所謂的「逗點謬誤」 (comma fault or run-on error),即兩個句子之間沒有連接詞而是用逗點來當連接詞。這種句子被稱為 run-on sentences。問題的癥結在於 therefore 是個副詞,卻被當作連接詞。所以問題中的句子應改為

  • The dollar has gone down against the yen, and therefore Japanese goods are more expensive for Americans. (美元兌日元的匯率下跌了,因此日本商品對美國人來說比較貴了) - 這句沒有下句好。

  • The dollar has gone down against the yen; therefore, Japanese goods are more expensive for Americans.

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Q:如何把想要表達的東西都寫在同一句,也就是說,如何延伸句子呢?

A:在英文中,許多功能都是藉由標點符號來達成,句子的延伸亦然。我們可以使用冒號 (colon) (:)、分號 (semicolon) (;)、破折號 (dash) (–) 和省略符號 (ellipsis) (…) 來延伸句子,把想要表達的東西都寫在同一句。此外,值得一提的是,冒號後面第一個字通常大寫,而分號後面第一個字則一定小寫。請看下面的敘述:

使用冒號係對句中前面提到的事物提供更多資訊或做進一步的解釋。例如:

  • There are three pets in the house now: A cat, a dog, and a hamster. (現在屋內有三隻寵物:一隻貓、一隻狗和一隻倉鼠)
  • The management blamed the workers’ sit-in for one thing: Paul’s incitement. (資方把工人靜坐示威歸咎於一件事:保羅的煽動)

使用分號可以起轉折 (transition) 作用而不必開始一個新的句子來敘述兩件相關的事物。分號的轉折作用比句點來得好。例如:

  • My professor did not approve of my App; he found it completely useless. (我的教授不贊同我寫的 App;他認為那個應用程式毫無用處)
  • No one was killed in the explosion; the only damage was a house that was razed to the ground. (無人在爆炸中喪命;唯一的損壞是一間房子被夷為平地)

由於分號具有轉折作用,因此分號的後面往往接 however, therefore, consequently, of course, for example, as a result, on the contrary 等轉折詞,做為句子前半部和後半部的橋樑。例如:

  • I am leaving now; however, I will be back on Friday to come to your birthday party. (我現在要離開了;不過,我禮拜五會回來參加你的生日派對)
  • I talked with my best friend until the early hours; consequently, I overslept. (我跟我最要好的朋友聊到凌晨;結果我睡過頭了)
  • Angela is in your class; of course, you know her. (安琪拉和你同班;你當然認識她)
  • John does not loathe wrestling; on the contrary, he quite likes it. (約翰並不討厭摔角;相反地,他相當喜歡摔角)

使用省略符號可以起句子走文或說話停頓的作用,而且在引句中可以省略一些字。例如:

  • “I’m wondering if I …” Jack said. (傑克說:「我想知道我是否 …」)
  • A credit card stolen from a man in Taipei was used to pay for a Chinese meal 18 hours later … in Los Angeles. (一張在台北竊自一名男子的信用卡,18 小時後在洛杉磯被用來支付一頓中式餐飲的賬單)
  • The ceremony honored ten brilliant athletes … visiting the U.S. (這項儀式表揚了十位正在美國訪問的傑出運動員)
    - 原句可能是:The ceremony honored ten brilliant athletes from Taiwan who were visiting the U.S. (這項儀式表揚了十位正在美國訪問、來自台灣的傑出運動員),其中省略了 “from Taiwan who were”,並代之以省略符號。

如果您想不起來上述任何一項規則,或者還沒完全弄懂冒號、分號和省略符號的用法,那麼就使用破折號,因為破折號具有這三者的功能。例如:

  • The management blamed the workers’ sit-in for one thing – Paul’s incitement. (破折號取代冒號)
  • No one was killed in the explosion – the only damage was a house that was razed to the ground. (破折號取代分號)
  • A credit card stolen from a man in Taipei was used to pay for a Chinese meal 18 hours later – in Los Angeles. (破折號取代省略符號)

Q: while 和 however 都意為「然而,不過」,但在 My room is small. However, it's very comfortable. 中,為何 however 不能用 while 來替換呢?

A:這是因為 while 是連接詞,而 however 是副詞。若將 small 後面的句點改為逗點,那麼 however 就要換成 while (或 whereas) 且不能再使用 however,此時句子就變成 My room is small, while it’s very comfortable. (我的房間不大,不過它很舒適)。若將 small 後面的句點改為分號 (;),那麼 however 就不能用 while (或 whereas) 來替換,且 however 須小寫,此時句子就變成 My room is small; however, it’s very comfortable.。

如果將副詞 however 誤以為是連接詞,而將上面的句子寫成 My room is small, however it’s very comfortable.,那麼這就成了英文中所謂的「連寫句」(run-on sentences),即兩個子句之間未用連接詞或錯用標點符號的句子。連寫句是許多人常犯的錯誤,避免錯誤的方法就是熟記下列規則:當一個句子含有兩個 (或以上的) 子句時,其中一個子句就必須使用連接詞。若這兩個子句都是獨立子句 (independent clauses),那麼要使用 and, or, but, so 等對等連接詞,或者不用連接詞而用正確的標點符號,即分號。若這兩個子句一為獨立子句、一為附屬子句 (dependent or subordinate clauses),那麼附屬子句的前面須使用 though, because, while, when, if 等附屬連接詞。請看下面的例句和說明:

  • Rachel played the piano and her husband sang and danced. (瑞秋彈著鋼琴,她先生載歌載舞) (正)
    - 兩個獨立子句用對等連接詞 and 連接起來。
  • Rachel played the piano; her husband sang and danced. (正)
    - 兩個獨立子句用分號連接。在此,分號的功能與 and 等量齊觀,而分號後面第一個字母須小寫。不過,分號應盡量少用,而且只有當兩個獨立子句在長度和意思上關係非常密切且具有良好的對等關係時才使用。
  • Rachel played the piano, her husband sang and danced. (誤)
    - 這是兩個子句之間未用連接詞或錯用標點符號的連寫句。
  • Cindy likes coffee while Mary likes tea. (辛蒂喜歡喝咖啡,而瑪麗喜歡喝茶) (正)
    - 這兩個子句一為獨立子句、一為附屬子句,附屬子句前使用附屬連接詞 while。
  • Cindy likes coffee, Mary likes tea. (誤)
    - 這是兩個子句之間未用連接詞的連寫句。
  • While/Whilst Dean likes the color of the hat, he does not like its shape. (雖然狄恩喜歡這頂帽子的顏色,但他不喜歡它的形狀) (正)
    - 這兩個子句一為獨立子句、一為附屬子句,附屬子句前使用附屬連接詞 while/whilst。
  • Dean likes the color of the hat; however, he does not like its shape. (正)
    - 雖然 however 是副詞,但分號等同於連接詞。
  • Dean likes the color of the hat, however he does not like its shape. (誤)
    - 這是連寫句,因為 however 是副詞,不是連接詞。
  • Some people like fatty meat, whereas others hate it. (有些人喜歡肥肉,而有些人卻不喜歡) (正)
    - 這兩個子句一為獨立子句、一為附屬子句,附屬子句前使用附屬連接詞 whereas。
  • Some people like fatty meat; nevertheless, others hate it. (正)
    - 這兩個子句用分號連接。分號等同於連接詞。
  • Some people like fatty meat, nevertheless others hate it. (誤)
    - 這是連寫句,因為 nevertheless 是副詞,不是連接詞。

While 意為「然而,不過 (位在句中時);雖然,儘管 (位在句首時)」的連接詞用法,係在強調兩個子句中所表示的兩個事實或兩種情況的對比或差異。與其相當的連接詞還有 whilst 和 whereas,但 whilst 主要用在英式英語中,且其引導的附屬子句都位在主要子句之前,而 whereas 引導的附屬子句都位在主要子句之後。

至於 however 意為「然而,不過」的副詞用法,係在表示轉折或對比,與其相當的副詞或片語還有 nevertheless 和 on the other hand 等。不過,however 不僅能位於句首 (其後通常有逗點),而且還能位於句中 (前後須使用逗點),甚至句末 (其前也要有逗點)。以問題中的句子為例:

  • My room is small. However, it’s very comfortable.
  • My room is small; however, it’s very comfortable.
  • My room is small. It is, however, very comfortable.
  • My room is small. It’s very comfortable, however.

Q:(1) 如果冒號前面是個縮寫字,那麼該縮寫字還要不要使用句點 (例如:RE.: 或 ID.:)? (2) 在 John shook his head, "no". 和 Mary nodded "yes". 這兩句中,no 和 yes 是否要加引號?

A:關於問題 (1),我們不可把縮寫字後面的句點省略掉,除非該縮寫字是句子的最後一個字,此時該縮寫字的句點剛好做為句子結束的句點,如 My grandfather always gets up at 5 a.m. (我祖父總是在清晨 5 點起床) — “m” 後面的句點也是句子結束的句點,亦即兩者共用一個句點。但是,如果縮寫字的句點後面須用到其他標點符號,如逗點,那麼縮寫字的句點和這個逗點都要存在,如 The students were up by 5 a.m., and they gathered on the campus by five-thirty. (這些學生清晨 5 點不到就起床,5 點半之前就在校園集合完畢)。同樣的道理亦適用於冒號,如 The following steps must be accomplished before 11:30 a.m.: First, … second, … [下列步驟須在 11 點 30 分之前完成:第一 …,第二…]。不過,對於問題中所提到的 “RE” 和 “ID”,大多數的寫作者都不用表示縮寫的句點,如 The following forms can be used as a proper ID: A driver’s license, a passport, a birth certificate, … (下列證件都可用作身份證明:駕照、護照、出生證明書等)。

關於問題 (2),根據筆者查閱有關英文文體 (style) 的專書,無論搖頭表示 “no” (「不」或「不同意」) 或點頭表示 “yes” (「是」或「同意」),它們都不使用引號,而且不需要逗點,如 I am shaking my head no. (我搖點表示不同意)。

順便一提的是,冒號 [ :] 後面第一個字母要大寫,而分號 [ ;] 後面第一個字母小寫 (專有名詞除外)。