原书主词条 · 6 个连续词条

suggest

原书 PDF 第 1470—1473 页

suggest¹

问

Is it not dangerous to suggest that “social democracy” is a useful ally in the struggle for socialism? That we can expect assistance and help from the Labour Party in the struggle for socialism?

[原译]有人提议，“社会民主党”是争取社会主义斗争中一个可以利用的同盟，这种观点难道不是很危险吗？有人提议我们在争取社会主义的斗争中可以从工党那里得到支援和帮助，这种观点难道不是很危险吗？①

请问将 suggest 译为“提议”是否恰当？

答

译文将动词 suggest 译为“提议”，是不甚妥当的。因为：第一，从全句的内容看，suggest 在这里并不是“建议某人去做某事”，而是“认为某事如何如何”。因此，suggest 在这里的含义应当是 put an idea into a person's mind（认为）；第二，从语法上看，当 suggest 作“建议”解时，后面的 that 从句中的谓语动词应当用命令性虚拟语气（mandative subjective）②，即动词原形（特别是在美国英语中）或者 should + 动词原形。在这一点上它跟下列动词是完全相同的：demand, require, insist, ask, propose, recommend, order, arrange, decide。试比较下列各组句子中 suggest 的含义：

(A) He suggested that this state (should) be known as the "radiant".

他建议把这状态称为“辐射”状态。

(B) I suggest that you had an ulterior motive in doing this.

我认为你做这件事是别有用心的。

(A) He suggested that the electronic device (should) be tested at once.

他建议立即检验这些电子器件。

(B) Are you suggesting that I am too old for the job?

你认为我老得不能干这个工作了吗？

(参见 suggest that I'm)

练习

请做下面的英语试题：

He suggested ____ to tomorrow's exhibition together.

A. us to go B. we went C. we shall go D. we go(全国四级)

I suggested he should ____ himself to his new conditions. A. adopt B. regulate C. suit D. adapt(全国四级,00.12-42)
The article suggests that when a person ____ under unusual stress he should be especially careful to have a well-balanced diet. A. be B. was C. is D. were(全国四级,02.1-57)
We strongly suggest that Smith is told about his physical condition as soon as possible. No Error. (全国研考)
Similar elements in the prehistoric remains from both areas suggest that Indians and their neighbours had maintained distant but real connections ever before 1500 B.C. (全国研考, 94-11)

suggest²

问

This dual quality of being sensitive to, and curious about, small accidental occurrences, and of possessing a frame of reference capable of suggesting their true significance, is probably what Pasteur meant when he said ‘Chance benefits only the prepared mind’. (CBSE)

[原译1]既有对微小偶发事件的敏感性和好奇心，又具有能联想这些事件正确含义的参考，这种双重品质大概就是巴斯德在说：“机遇只使有心人获益”时所意欲强调的。（中译本）

[原译2]这种对微小偶然事件所具有的敏感和好奇，以及具有能够提出其真正含义的参照系的双重品格，可能就是巴斯特所说的：“机遇只对于有准备的思想有裨益。”（中译本）

请分析 suggest 在这里的含义。

答

英语的suggest既可用作有灵动词，又可用作无灵动词。用作无灵动词时常常作“使联想到”“表明”“提醒”解。例如：

The thought of summer suggests swimming, tennis, and hot weather.

一想到夏天，就使人想到游泳、打网球和炎热的天气。

但汉语的“联想”“提出”只能用作有灵动词。因此不能说“参照系联想(提出)”。

[试译]……又具有能使人联想到其真正含义的参照系，这两种特质可能就是巴斯德所说的意思：“机遇只对有心人有益。”

(参见 animate and inanimate verbs)

suggest³

问

I suggest you go to the library. 我建议你去图书馆。上面句子里的 you 是不是宾语,而 go 是不是宾语补足语?

答

这是一个 suggest(that) you(should) go 句型, 见 suggest he do / he should do。

suggest⁴

问

I've got three weeks altogether. What do you suggest I see? [《高中英语教科书》第三册，人教社，p.67] 下面是与该书配套的《教师教学用书》第三册(p.238)对上句的注释： “句中的 I see 是宾语从句 (that I should see) 的省略, 谓语动词用原形, 是虚拟语气的用法。”郑孝通编著的《高中英语重点·难点纵横谈》(中国科技大学出版社, p. 320) 也持有相同的观点: “suggest sb. do 是省略 that 和 should 的口语句型, 本课有: What do you suggest I see? = What do you suggest that I should see?” 我在讲课中发现,上述解释是不能自圆其说的,但我也找不到能自圆其说的解释,请赐教。

答

上面两本书的作者完全误解了上句的句法关系。假定我们承认 I see 是 suggest 的宾语从句,那么,句首的 what 是什么成分呢? 如果它是 suggest 的直接宾语,那么 I see 就不可能也是 suggest 的直接宾语(不可能有两个直接宾语);如果它是 see 的直接宾语,那么宾语从句的直接宾语竟然跑到主句的句首,是怎么也说不通的。此外,如果 I see 是 suggest 的宾语从句,则这个句子就是个是非疑问句(yes-no question),但是,这个句子是不能用 yes 或 no 来回答的。由此可以证明,上面的分析是站不住脚的。其实,上面的句子是一种特殊的句型,叫做混合疑问句。让我们从现行中学教科书和高考英语试题中选几个实例:

What do you think the weather is like in Canada? 你认为加拿大的天气怎么样？
What do you think is likely to happen? 你认为可能会发生什么情况呢？
——I haven't heard from Henry for a long time. ——What do you suppose has happened to him? (全国高考,91-23) ……你认为他发生了什么事情？之所以把这种句子叫做混合疑问句,是因为它是由两种类型的疑问句混合而成的。一个是特殊疑问句:What will(should) I see? 另一个是一般疑问句:Do you suggest? 但是,两个疑问句混合之后,特殊疑问句的形式或语序要发生变化:
What [do you suggest] I see? (特殊疑问句的语序应为 What should I see?)
Where [do you think] he found it? (特殊疑问句的语序应为: Where did he find it?)
What [do you think] the weather is like in Canada? (特殊疑问句的语序为: What is the weather like in Canada?) 有些英语著作,如钱歌川教授的《英文疑难详解》(香港中外出版社,p.329)和张道真教授的《现代英语用法词典》(外研社,1998,p.1464),把上面的 do you think(suppose,suggest)分析为插入语。当 wh-疑问词充当主语时,分析为插入语有时候似乎还讲得通:
Who[do you think] murdered the lady? 你认为是谁谋杀了这位女士？
Who[do you think] is the best player this year? 你认为谁是今年最好的运动员？
Who[do you suppose] telephoned today? 你认为今天谁来电话了？而当 wh-疑问词作句子的其他成分时，分析为插入语就绝对讲不通了。
What[do you suggest] I see? 你建议我参观哪些地方呢?
Where[do you think] he found it? 你认为他是在哪里找到它的呀？因为插入语的本质是:去掉插入语后句子结构仍然完整,而在上面的句子里去掉 do you suggest, do you think 和 did you say 之后,句子结构就不完整了。因此,我们必须把上面的疑问句看作是一种特殊类型的疑问句:混合疑问句或连锁疑问句,并掌握其语法特点。混合疑问句之中的一般疑问句的动词数量是有限的: say, think, believe, imagine, guess, suppose, suggest 等等(参见 interrogative sentence, suppose $^{7,8}$ )。

suggest⁵

问

On the hero's pale face there was a half-smile that seemed to suggest that he be ready to give his life for the country. (上海高考,93-39)

答案为 C。但是,我看不出它有什么错误。suggest that he be 不是一个常见、常考的句型吗?

答

这里涉及到动词 suggest 的词义问题。当 suggest 作“建议”解时，(that)从句的谓语动词应当使用虚拟语气: should + 动词原形或现在虚拟式(动词原形)。但是, 当 suggest 作“认为”“指出”“暗示”, “有……含义”“表明”解时, (that)从句的谓语动词应当使用陈述语气。因此, 选项 C 的 he be 应改为 he was, 因为此处的 suggest 作“表明”解。再如:

She suggested that I am responsible for the arrangements. 她认为我是负责作安排的。
I'd like to suggest that it was the wrong place. 我认为这个地方不对。
The results of the test suggested that I was ill. 化验的结果表明我生病了。
The advance publicity for Skeeter's biography has certainly suggested that there will be shocks in store for those who believe Dumbledore to have led a blameless life. (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) 对斯基特的传记的提前宣传表明，那些相信邓布利多不该遭受指责的人们将会在书店里受到前所未有的打击。(《哈利·波特与死亡圣徒》)

练习

请做下面的英语试题：

When I suggested $\frac{\text{swimming}}{\text{A}}$ together in the lake, $\frac{\text{Father}}{\text{B}}$ smiled, $\frac{\text{which}}{\text{C}}$ suggested that he agree with me. (上海会考, 95-31)
The manager suggested that Mr White ____ in charge of the exhibition.

A. is B. will be C. be D. must be(全国成人高考,94-40)

His silence suggested that he ____ our plan.

A. should not agree B. did not agree to C. not agree to D. would not agree with

His accent suggests that he ____ from America.

A. should come B. comes C. come D. would come

Jane's pale face suggested that she ____ ill, and her parents suggested that she ____ a medical examination.
A. be... should have B. was... have C. should be... had D. was... has(上海高考,94-30)

suggest⁶

问

(1) I suggested that health care reform was part of the American journey. (Hillary, Living History, p. 276)

(2) I suggested that the best way to do that would be to improve the treatment of their farmworkers. (Hillary, Living History)

[原译]我建议他们,最好的方法是劝雇主改善农业工人的待遇。(希拉里,《亲历历史》)请问以上两句的 suggest 是作“建议”解吗?

答

以上两句 suggested 之后的宾语从句表达的是一种观点、一种看法，而且没有用虚拟语气，因此 suggested 不能译为“建议”。

试译我认为医疗保健是美国历程的一部分。

(2)我认为最好的办法是雇主改善农业工人的待遇。