subject of gerund

这两种说法都是正确的。动名词的逻辑主语为代词时,既可以使用属格(his, their等),也可以使用宾格(him, her等)。使用属格(所有格)的传统理由是:动名词具有名词的属性,它的前面按照规则应当使用代词的属格(物主代词)来做它的语法定语。

1. I object to your smoking cigars. 我反对你抽雪茄。

2. Do you mind my asking what happened to your parents? (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 那你介不介意告诉我，你父母怎么啦？(《达·芬奇密码》)

但是,动名词也具有动词的属性,它的后面可以跟直接宾语:He liked our singing folk songs. 因此,使用代词宾格,也是有充分理由的,而且往往使人感到更为自然,尤其是在非正式语体中:

1. I dislike him driving my car. (CGEL) 我不喜欢他开我的汽车。

2. We looked forward to you becoming our neighbour. (CGEL) 我们盼望着你成为我们的邻居。

3. Fancy you having noticed! (LEG) 真想不到你已经注意到了!

4. I'll never forget you falling into the river. (EGS) 我永远不会忘记你掉进河里的事。

这就是说,既可以使用代词属格,也可以使用代词宾格来充当动名词的逻辑主语。因此,人们常常为格的选用而苦恼。例如,I dislike you/your climbing the fence. 不过当充当动名词逻辑主语的代词位于句首时,人们大都愿意使用属格。

1. Your driving a car to New York took longer than I expected. 你开车去纽约所花费的时间比我预料的长一些。

2. My forgetting her name was embarrassing. 我忘了她的名字，使我非常尴尬。

3. Your falling into the river was the climax of the whole trip. 你掉到了河里是整个旅行的

高潮。

当动名词复合结构充当真实主语时，动名词的逻辑主语也大都采用所有格形式。

1. It's a waste of time your talking to him. (Ball) 你跟他谈话,那是浪费时间。

2. But it is very risky your going off in such a hurry. (Voynich) 但是,你这样急急忙忙地走,那是很危险的。

如果动名词是 being, 则在正式英语和非正式英语里都使用所有格, 而不用宾格:

Excuse my being late. (BBC) 原谅我来晚了。

如果在句首使用代词主格来做动名词的逻辑主语，则带有典型的非正式语体色彩。

You falling into the river was the climax of the whole trip. 你掉到了河里去,是整个旅行的高潮。

考生应注意,托福测试专家们仍坚持在正式语体中用代词的属格(所有格)来作动名词的逻辑主语。请看下面的试题:

1. The teacher was justly annoyed by him walking in late and disturbing the class. (TOEFL)

2. With ____ her do this, she will have no difficulty persuading them to accept her plan. A. I help B. my helping C. me helping D. mine helping (TOEFL)

3. I like Jean but I do not like ____.

A. her sing B. her singing C. she sing D. she singing(TOEFL)

4. I certainly appreciate him telling us about the delay in delivering the materials because we had planned to begin work tomorrow. (TOEFL)

5. Because John's parents did not approve of $\frac{\text{him}}{\text{A}}$ going on an automobile trip out west, he took a summer job as a lifeguard. (TOEFL)

应当明确,上句中的 being performed 并不是现在分词的被动形式,而是动名词的被动形式。为什么呢? 现在分词(不管主动形式,还是被动形式)在作定语时含有正在进行的意思,而上句中的 gymnastics being performed 绝无“正在表演的体操”的意思。请与下面的实例作对比:

1. Most of the people singing were students. (PEU)

唱歌的人多数是学生。

(the people singing = (当时正在)唱歌的人们,其中的 singing 是动词 sing 的现在分词的主动形式,作 the people 的定语)

2. The houses being built by our company will be completed by the end of this year. (SEFC, 3A, 教参, p.145)

由我们公司营建的那批房屋将于年底竣工。（作定语）

(the houses being built = 现在正在建造的房子,其中的 being built 是动词 build 的现在分词的被动形式,作 the houses 的定语)

3. The problem being discussed is of vital importance. (NEG) 正在讨论的问题是极其重要的。

那么,到底应如何分析 gymnastics being performed 的结构呢? 其实这是一个名词(或代

应当明确, being 在这里是动名词, economic recovery 是它的逻辑主语, 两者构成动名词的复合结构, 作介词 about 的宾语: about [economic recovery being just around the corner]。关于 being 在这里不是作定语的证明, 见 logical subject, sorting out, use。

1. How about the two of us ____ a walk down the garden? A. to take B. take C. taking D. to be taking(全国高考,93-14)

2. Although punctual himself, the professor was quite used ____ late for his lecture. A. to have students B. for students' being C. for students to be D. to students' being(全国四级,98.1-31)

3. ____ in an atmosphere of simple living was what her parents wished for. A. The girl was educated B. The girl educated C. The girl's being educated D. The girl to be educated(全国四级,99.1-45)

4. Nowhere in nature is aluminum found free, owing to its always ____ with other elements, most commonly with oxygen. A. combined B. having combined C. combine D. being combined(全国研考,97-2)

5. I like Jean but I do not like ____. A. her sing B. her singing C. she sing D. she singing(TOEFL)

6. "I'm surprised that Mr. Bally is letting you attend the conference." "Well, he has always approved ____." A. of my attending it B. for my attending it C. of me to attend it D. me to attend it (TOEFL)

介词短语 of him locking it 作 the sound 的定语, 其中动名词 locking 作介词的宾语, 而 him 作动名词 locking 的逻辑主语。这里的 him 也可以改用 his, 意义相同。关于 him 和 his 在用法上的差别, 见 subject of gerund $^{1}$ 。

其中的 being washed 是动名词的被动形式,而 its(it 的所有格)是它的逻辑主语。整个结构作现在分词 preventing 的直接宾语(参见 gerund $^{7}$ )。类例: I heard the noise of desks being opened and closed. 我听见打开书桌和关上书桌的声音。

animals dying out 和 animals' dying out 都是正确的，见 common¹,²。注意：在非正式语体

中,用名词的普通格来作动名词的逻辑主语,是很常见的,见 subject of gerund $^{7}$ 。例如: Silas was accustomed to people being uncomfortable with his appearance. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 人们看见他的样子都会觉得不舒服,塞拉斯对此早已习以为常了。 (《达·芬奇密码》)

上面的试题有重大失误:选 A 和选 B 都是正确的。前者用于正式语体,后者用于非正式语体。例如:

1. One day the man upstairs heard the sound of children playing in the park. 有一天，住在楼上的那个人听到孩子们在花园里玩耍的声音。

2. Most of the diary is a record of big events in Philadelphia. It also includes a description of British soldiers burning Washington. D. C., in the war of 1812. (全国高考,99-阅A)日记大部分记录的是费城的重大事件。它还描述了在1812年战争中英国士兵火烧

上面的试题出得不好(这是我国英语测试上的又一误区),应当改进。因为选项 B 和选项 A 都是正确的,见 subject of gerund $^{1}$ 。