感谢不邀,主动回答。人在中国,刚下地铁。
18世纪的语法学家根据拉丁语的语法来规定英语语法,导致英语语法出现了很多 zombie rules (僵尸规则),也就说英语明明不是这样子的,但是学究们硬要强制规定必须这样别扭地说英语,否则把你的学术论文判为英语语法错误,打回重写。
常见的 zombie rules :
① 禁止把介词放在句子/从句末尾
理由:拉丁语存在「夺格」(casus ablativus, ablative case)。夺格不可以拆开。
Where are you from? ❌
From where are you? ✅
Whence are you? ✅
This is the school that I go to. ❌
This is the school which I go to. ❌
This is the school to which I go. ✅
② 禁止拆开不定式
理由:拉丁语的「不定式」(infinitivus, infinitive)是一个单词。不可以把一个单词拆成两半。
We are determined to completely eradicate COVID-19. ❌
We are determined completely to eradicate COVID-19. ✅
We are determined to eradicate COVID-19 completely. ✅
③ 主语补足语(表语)必须用主格,禁止用宾格
理由:拉丁语里面的主语补足语用的是主格。
It is me. ❌ [符合法语语法:C'est moi. 其中moi是强调格/分离代词。]
It is I. ✅ [符合拉丁语语法:Hic est ego. 其中ego是主格。]
④ 关系从句必须有先行词。先行词必须是一个名词/代词,不可以是句子。
理由:关系从句是定语从句,不是状语从句。[这条规则倒是跟拉丁语没什么关系。]
I will meet Sam at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning, which is perfect. ❌
I will meet Sam at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. It is perfect. ✅
I will meet Sam at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning, this plan, which is perfect. ✅
⑤代词who,主格是who,作主语用,宾格是whom,作宾语用,或放介词之后用
理由:拉丁语的人称疑问代词/关系代词严格区分主格与宾格。人称疑问代词的主格是 quis ,宾格是 quem (阳性) / quam (阴性)。人称关系代词的主格是 qui (阳性) / quae (阴性) ,宾格是 quem (阳性) / quam (阴性)。主语必须用主格,宾语必须用宾格,绝对不可以混用。
This is the person who I saw yesterday. ❌
This is the person whom I saw yesterday. ✅
⑥ 虚拟语气的一般现在时,必须用动词原型(第三人称单数也用动词原型)。虚拟语气的一般过去时,be动词必须用were,禁止用was。
理由:拉丁语动词有很多变位形式:不定式(infinitivus, infinitive)、直陈式(indicativus, indicative)、命令式(imperativus, imperative)、虚拟式(coniunctivus, subjunctivus, subjunctive),其中虚拟式需要使用特定的虚拟式动词变形,与直陈式的动词变形不同。
If I was green, I would die. ❌
If I were green, I would die. ✅
I insist that you are on time. ❌
I insist that you be on time. ✅
名句:
Long live the king! ✅ (愿国王长寿)
God save the queen. ✅ (愿神佑女王)
God be with ye. ✅ (愿神与汝等同在)
这一条规则其实还好了,至少不那么 zombie ,因为口语中也常听到上面这些名句,而且口语中也经常听到 「 If I were you, I would ... 」。只不过这条规则本是可选项,但是硬是被学究们强制规定成了必选项。
天下苦 zombie rules 久矣。有人特意根据 zombie rules 写了一个非常别扭的句子来嘲讽:
This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.
因为 put up with 是一个固定短语,正常人不会拆开说 ,但是这些 zombie rules 却硬要把 up with 放到前面去,读起来非常别扭。这句话常常作为经典嘲讽例子。