受詞補語(object complement)1:
問:I consider what he did foolish.
如何分析這個句子?
答:what子句是動詞consider的受詞子句,而形容詞foolish是what子句的補語。這就是說,受詞子句也可以有補語。
- I consider what he said(to be) very important. 我認為他說的話很重要。
- He found what was going around him unusual. 他發覺發生在他周圍的事情很不尋常。
(參見end-weight)
受詞補語(object complement)2:
問:The discovery has made possible new techniques for brain surgery.
如何分析這個句子?
答:英語有一個尾重原則。按照這個原則,應把長而複雜的句子成分放在局尾(如本句中的直接受詞new techniques…),而把較短的成分放在它的前面(如本句中的受詞補語possible)。因此之故,我們常常見到受詞補語放在直接受詞之前的例句。
- He thought desirable most of the women in the room. 他認為房間裏的大部分婦女都符合要求。
- He has proved wrong the forecasts made by the country’s leading economic experts. 他已經證明了該國主要經濟專家的預言是錯誤的。
- We have done things we ought not to have done and left undone things we ought to have done. 我們做了我們本不該做的事,而那些應該做的事我們卻沒有做。
- They pronounced guilty every one of the accused except the man who had raised the alarm. 他們宣佈,除了那個發出警報的人以外,所有的被告都有罪。
- General Wiltshire called a coward any man who faltered under the heavy mortar fire. 威爾特希爾將軍把在猛烈的炮火下畏縮不前的人稱為懦夫。
但是,較短的受詞補語提前並不是强制性的,而是有選擇餘地的:
He found what was going around him unusual.
他發現發生在他周圍的事情很不尋常。
(參見word order5)