It’s strange that…中只能用虚拟语气吗?

   

   

《实用英语正误词典》(山东友谊出版社 20028月第1)p1507:  

【误】It is strange that such a thing happen in your place.  

【正】It is strange that such a thing should happen in your place.  

【说明】it is strange that …的句型中,that引导的主语从句的谓语动词应该用should+动词原形(虚拟语气)。在美国英语中should被省略,直接用动词原形。  

从以上可以看出,《实用英语正误词典》的编者认为在“it is strange that …”中只能用虚拟语气,不能用其他形式。  

然而,姚善友在其著的《英语虚拟语气》(商务印书馆 19597月北京第1次印刷)p165上明确指出: 在像 it is strange 这一类表示情感的主句后面,可以用直陈语气,也可用 should be 型或 should have been型虚拟形式。例如:  

(1) It is strange that he knows all this. (直陈语气)  

(2) It is strange that he should know all this. (虚拟语气)  

第一句用直陈语气,仅仅叙述了事实,第二句用should be型虚拟形式,强调这一事实的离奇性。这里使用should be型或 should have been型虚拟形式,表明尽管从句所叙述的无疑的是事实,但在讲话人心目中,这种行为或状态却能引起我们的惊奇、欣慰、悔恨、失望等情感。  

另外,()井上义昌在其编著的《英美语惯用法辞典》( 拓等翻译 湖南师范大学出版社19915月第1)p771上也明确表示: it is strange that这种从句中,that-clause的动词历来都是接所谓emotional (表感情的) should,不过,省略should的虚拟语气也很多,而且大多还可用直陈法动词现在时替换之……这种用法的should包含了说话人的感情,是主观意识的说法,但不用should,若讲It is strange [that] he says so. 则只是以事实为陈述内容的客观说法。Cf. “It is strange that she married (or has married) such an old man.” merely states the fact; “It is strange that she should have married such an old man.” lays more stress on the strangeness by using the imaginative should in the clause.  

再者,贺立民在其编著的《贺氏英语语法全书》(中山大学出版社20032月第1)p723上:说话者是要有虚拟语气的方式来强调其对此一事实的感受。如果只是叙述事实,用陈述语气已足。  

综上所述,可以得出这样一个结论:在“it is strange that …并非只能用虚拟语气,也可以用直陈语气。至于应该用虚拟语气,也还是用直陈语气取决于实际情景。如果只是陈述事实,就可以用直陈语气;如果强调此事实的感受应该用虚拟语气。  

请看在“it is strange that …使用直陈语气的例证:  

1. 王希山编著《英语形容词搭配结构词典》(上海译文出版社20044月第1) p636: It is strange +that从句  

It is strange that there has been so much rain this year. 真奇怪,今年下了这么多雨。  

It is strange to me that you do not understand that. 我觉得奇怪的是你竟然不理解这个。  

2. 陆谷孙主编《英汉大词典》(2) (上海译文出版社20073月第1)p1992: It’s very strange that you haven’t heard from him. 奇怪的是你没有收到他的信。  

3. 戴炜栋主编《新世纪英汉多功能词典》(上海外语教育出版社 200311月第1)p1599: He’s always here, it’s strange that you’ve never met him. 他一直在这儿,很奇怪你没碰到过他。  

4. Morton Benson《朗文英语实用词语搭配词典》(上海译文出版社 19966月第1)p1095: It is strange that she hasn’t written for a whole month. 真奇怪,她一个月都没来信了。  

5. John Sinclair主编《Collins Cobuild英语语法大全》(任绍曾等译 商务印书馆 19991月第1)p524: 要评论事实、事件或情况时,可用 “it”,后接系动词、补足语加说明事实的 “that”从句。  

It is strange that it hasn’t been noticed before.

   

 

 

6. Geoffrey Leech著《简明英语语法和用法指南》(郎勇等译 华中理工大学出版社 19926 月第1)p324: It’s strange that Janet is so late.  

7. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary( 8th edition光盘版)  

It’s strange (that) we haven’t heard from him.   

8. Cambridge Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (Third Edition 光盘版)  

Its strange that tourists almost never visit this village.   

9. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English  (Five Edition光盘版)  

It’s strange that we’ve never met before.   

最后,再看英美国家语料库的真实例证:  

1. BUY-BNC BRTISH NATIONAL CORPUS (UK,1980s-1993) (Mark Davies, Brigham Young University )   

It is strange that the party gave priority, not only to central and military organs, but also the guberniia- and uezd-level papers in 1922, before intervening in the national minority sector in 1923.  

It is strange that that point is being made because of a shift of about 1,000 votes in a constituency.  

2. The CORPUS OF CONTEMPORAY AMERICAN ENGLISH (1990-2011) (Mark Davies, Brigham Young University) http://www.americancorpus.org/   

It is strange that acne, which afflicts so many teenagers, is all but invisible in the movies.  

It is strange that acne, which afflicts so many teenagers, is all but invisible in the movies. I wonder if it’s covered by makeup, or if they only cast actors with perfect skin.  

以上大量例证充分证明在“it is strange that …并非只能用虚拟语气,也可以用直陈语气。   

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