know

know 通常用作静态动词,作“知道”“懂”“认识”解。但是,know 也可用作动态动词,作“认出”“识别出”解。CIDE 明确指出,To know something or someone can be recognize them. LLA 在注释 recognize 时说: to know who someone is or what something is, especially because you have seen them before(认出某人是谁或认出某物是什么,尤其是因为以前见过他们)。LLA 在注释 know 这一含义时说: to recognize something or someone, especially when you have not seen them for some time or when they have changed a lot. (认出某人或某物,尤指长时间没有看到他们或他们有了很大的变化)。下面是这方面的实例:

1. That's Peter—I'd know him everywhere! (CIDE) 那是彼得——在哪儿我都能把他认出来！

2. You'll know him when you see him. He has red curly hair and is very tall and thin. (LLA) 你一看到他，就会认出他来。他有一头红色卷发，长得又高又瘦。

3. You'll know him by the colour of his hair. (LDCE) 你只要看他头发的颜色就会认出他来。

上面的注释和实例足以证明，在上句中用 knew 是完全可以接受的。

由此看来,下面的试题都有商榷的余地:

1. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the best-known film-makers, and because of his habit of making quick appearance in each of his films ever since the 1930s, his face is easily ____. A. recognized B. known C. seen D. found(上海高考,94-61)

2. He had so much changed that I could hardly ____ him. A. know B. understand C. recognize D. find(上海会考,92-17)

be known as 意为“被称作”“被认为”：

1. These chocolate bars are known as something else in the US, but I can't remember what. 这种巧克力棒在美国有别的叫法，但我记不起来叫什么啦。

2. He is known as a fair judge. 他被认为是一位公正的法官。

3. Once they were known as “aborigines”, which means “the first people of a country”, but today they are more usually known as Kooris. 这些迁徙过去的人曾被称作“aborigines”，意思是“最早的居民”，但是现在通常被称为古利人。

be known for 意为“因……而著名”：

He was known for his frankness. 他以坦率而著称。

be known to 意为“为……所知”。注意:known 在这里是形容词,故一般不用 by:

1. He is known to the police because of his previous criminal record. 他因以前的犯罪记录而为警察所知。

2. I don't think he's known to anybody here. 我认为这里谁也不认识他。

见 come $^{6}$ ，get $^{7}$ 。

这里之所以使用 I didn't know, 而不使用 I don't know, 是因为要表达“此前我不知道”,而不是表达“现在我不知道”。虽然在表达前一种意思时汉语常常说“我不知道”，但在英语里却绝不可以说 I don't know，而必须说 I didn't know. 例如：

“One dollar each, young man.” “Oh, dear! I didn't know they cost so much.” “一元钱一本，年轻人。” “哦！我不知道会这么贵的。”

现在来解答另一个问题:上面的句子明明是说我(原)不知道你现在在伦敦,为什么要用 You were in London 呢?这是因为英语里有一个时态呼应原则的缘故,见 sequence of tenses $^{2}$ , indirect speech $^{1}$ 。

根据现代英语语法学家的解释，在英国英语中用I know，而在美国英语中用I know it。

1. I asked when she was leaving, and she said she didn't know. 我问她什么时候走，她说她不知道。(know 后面的成分未出现，可用省略来解释。)

2. His father came here yesterday. —Yes, I know. (Palmer) 他父亲昨天来了。——是的，我知道。

3. I reconstructed the crime and before I had finished speaking, Boyle said, 'A tissue of lies!' I asked the accused if he really thought so and he answered, 'Think so? I know it!' (LEG) 我描述了那桩罪行，博伊尔没等我说完就喊道：“连篇的谎言！”我问被告是否真的这么想，他回答说：“这么想？我知道那是谎言！”

[附注]有时候,I know it 中的 it 并不是指前句话的内容,而是指它所提到的某个事物。这时候,it 当然是不可省略的。例如:

‘I went to a nice restaurant called The Elizabeth last night.’ ‘I know it.’ “昨天晚上我到一家挺好的饭馆去了，名叫伊丽莎白。”“我知道这家饭馆。”

这个句子是错误的。表达上面的意思时不用know to do sth.的格式(意为“知道应当做某事”)，而用know + 连接副词(或连接代词) + to do sth.的格式。

1. She knows how to type and take shorthand. (Leech) 她懂得打字和作速记。

2. I don't know what to do about it. (Mansfield) 我不知道这件事怎么办。

3. I know where to go. 我知道去哪里。

4. I don't know who to ask advice from. (Walpole) 我不知道该找谁出主意。

5. ...you never know how to identify a truly dangerous moment. (Hillary, Living History)
   ……你不知道怎样确定真正的危险时刻。

应当牢记 be known to do sth. 是一个很常用的句型,例如:

1. He is known to be honest. (PEG) 大家都知道他很诚实。

2. He was known to have taken part in the Long March. 人们都知道他参加过长征。

(参见 know sb. to do sth.)