mean 的用法和meant 用法, 例句, 詳解. I mean真正意思

mean 的用法1 (mean for him to do)

問：“The photographer thought he was supposed to arrive after the guests.”
“But I meant ______ early.”
A. for his coming
B. him coming
C. for him to come
D. he would come
(TOEFL)
給的正確答案為C (for him to come) 。但是我查了許多文法書和詞典, 只查到mean sb. to do sth., 而沒有查到mean for sb. to do sth.。試題是否有誤?

答：mean sb. to do sth. 是一種標準句型。例如:

1. I meant a doctor to examine him. = I meant him to be examined by a doctor.
   我曾打算叫醫生給他檢查身體。
2. I didn’t mean you to read the letter.
   我並沒有打算叫你讀那封信。

mean for sb. to do sth. 這一結構只見於美式英語:

1. I didn’t mean for you to tell him.
   我並沒有打算叫你把這件事告訴他。
2. “There’s no evidence at all that she really meant for him to have the property.”
    “並沒有證據來證明她真的打算讓他擁有這份財產。”
3. “I never meant for you to know how I got the money. I was going to tell you I’d won the sweepstakes.”
   “我從來沒有想讓你知道我是怎樣弄到這筆錢的。我打算告訴你我贏了賽馬的總賭金。”

但是, 有的語言學家(例如Right Words at Right Time 的作者們) 指出, mean for sb. to do s th.的用法是不標準的。甚至連Longman Dictionary of American English 和Oxford American Dictionary 也沒有收入這一用法。

看來, 託福的出題者們採用尚未被普遍認為標準的語言格式mean for sb. to do sth. 作為考核項目, 似乎是違背了他們只承認標準的正式英語的原則。

mean 的用法2 (By A is meant B)

問：By the skill of reading is meant what is generally known as reading comprehension.
我認為介係詞片語by the skill of reading 是句子的主詞, 不知對否?

答：在By A is meant B 這個句型中, B 是被動句的主詞, 而by A(介係詞片語) 是副詞。這個句型常用來給事物下定義。A 是被下定義的部分, 包含已知資訊, 而B 是下定義部分, 即揭示概念內涵和(或) 外延的部分, 當然是要告訴讀者的新資訊。採用這種倒裝語序, 就能使新資訊(即語意重點) 位於句尾這個被強調的位置上(見end–focus) 。這原本是個強調被動句主詞的隨意的語用用法, 久而久之, 便成了固定的文法格式了。在英語論說文和科技英語中用得非常廣泛。例如:

1. By acceleration is meant the rate of change of velocity with time.
   加速度就是指速度對時間的變化率。
2. By power is meant the rate of doing work.
   功率就是指做功的速率。
3. By“strategy”is meant the basic planning of the whole operation.
   “策略”是指整個操作的基本計畫。

請與下列主謂倒裝的被動句進行比較:

1. Whenever any positive charge is created, there is always created an equal amount of negative charge.
   每當正電荷產生時, 總有等量的負電荷產生。
2. By degree of freedom is understood an independent variable quantity, such as pressure, temperature or concentration.
   所謂自由度, 乃是一個獨立的變數, 如壓力、溫度或濃度。

(上列各句中的主詞也是被強調的成分, 是句子的語意重點, 參見inversion6)

mean 的用法 3 (be meant to do)

問：查《英漢大辭典》, b e meant to do 的意思是: 必須(做) ; 應該(做) 。但我遇到下列句子, 不知如何解釋和翻譯。He was meant to be a barrister.

答：be meant to do 粗略地說具有三層不同的含義。

A. 由命運、能力、天資等所“ 註定”或者由父母決定。例如:

1. He seems meant to be a soldier.
   他似乎生來就註定是塊當兵的料。
2. He believes he is meant to be a great man.
   他相信他生來就是要當偉人的。
3. Books are meant to be read.
   書就是讓人讀的。

B“被預料” 、“被期望”、“被認為”:

1. Are parents meant to love all their children equally?
   莫非做父母的一定要一視同仁地愛自己的每一個孩子?
2. I found a road that wasn’t meant to be there.
   我發現了一條原來沒有意料到的路。

C.在意義和用法上相當於半助動詞ought to 和be supposed to (應該, 必須) :

1. You’re meant to take your shoes off when you enter an Hindu temple.
   進入印度寺廟時應當脫鞋。
2. You were meant to ask why I was disappointed with the idea.
   你該問問為什麼我對這個想法感到失望。

你所問的句子, 如果脫離上下文, 可以有好幾種理解:

1. 他生來就是當律師的材料。
2. 他父母決定讓他當律師。
3. 他父母曾打算讓他當律師。

mean 的用法 4 (had meant to do/meant to have done)

問：I had meant (intended, hoped) to visit him.我已學過hope, expect, mean, intend, plan, suppose, want 等動詞的過去完成式+ 動詞不定詞, 表示“希望”、“預料”、“打算”、“ 計畫”、“想”等沒有完成或沒有實現。但我不知道它們的過去時加上完成時不定詞是否也能表達同樣的意思?

答：語言學家們認為, 在表達未完成或未實現的“希望”、“打算”、“計畫”等時, 最好是使用此類動詞的過去完成式 + 不定詞。例如:

1. I had meant to come, but something happened
   我本想來, 但出了點事, 沒有來。
2. I had intended to speak, but time did not permit.
   我本來想發言, 但是時間不允許。

但是, 用它們的一般過去時+ 完成時不定詞, 也能表達同樣的意思:

1. I hoped to have seen you before now.
   我本希望在這以前見你的。
2. I intended to have called on you, but…
   我本打算去拜訪你, 但⋯⋯
3. I meant to have visited you yesterday.
   我本應該在昨天拜訪你。

小練習：請選出正確的答案。（留言作答）
In World War II, Japan hoped ________ its power to the whole Asia, and it did not succeed.
A. extend
B. extending
C. to extend
D. to have extended

mean 的用法 5 (I mean)

問：Then you add the peaches – I mean, the apricots…
句中的I mean 是什麼意思?

答：在無準備的口語中常常會出現一些語誤, I mean 就是用來修正語誤的, 可譯為“不”、“不, 我是說”、“我的意思是”。請看下面的例句:

1. The third thing, I mean the first thing to remember is that…
   要記住的第三件事, 不, 我是說, 要記住的第一件事, 是⋯⋯
2. “What time this afternoon did you burn your hand, Delia?”
   “Five o’clock, I think. The iron – I mean the soup – was ready about five.”
   “今天下午幾點鐘你燙壞了手, 迪莉婭?”
   “我想是五點鐘。熨斗, 不, 我說的是湯在五點左右就做好了。”

(參見well 2)

mean 的用法 6 (mean to do/mean doing)

問：(1) I meant to ring you but I’m afraid I forgot…
(2) These new orders for our manufactures will mean working overtime.
上面兩個例句選自權威的英語辭典, 它們是否可以證明在mean 之後既可接帶to 的動詞不定詞(to-V), 亦可接動名詞(V-ing)?

答：在動詞mean 之後接帶to 的動詞不定詞和接動名詞, 意思是不一樣的。當mean 作“意欲”、“打算”(intend to) 解時, 只能與帶to 的動詞不定詞連用, 而不能與動名詞連用:

1. I only meant to help.
   我只是想幫忙。
2. I don’t mean to say we’re perfect.
   我並不打算說我們是十全十美的。
3. I’m sorry, Alison. I didn’t mean to be rude to you.
   阿裡遜, 真對不起, 我並不是故意對你粗暴無禮。

mean 作“意味著”解時, 只能接動名詞, 而不能接動詞原形:

1. Success means working very hard.
   成功意味著勤奮努力。
2. Missing the train means waiting for an hour.
   沒趕上這趟火車就意味著要等上一個小時。
3. This illness will mean going to hospital.
   患這種病意味著要進醫院。

mean 的用法 7 (means)

問：(A) There is no means of learning what is happening.
(B) Her means are small.
為什麼在句(A) 中用is, 而在句(B) 中用are 呢?

答：當means 作“方式”、“方法”、“手段”解時, 它是一個單複數同形的名詞。因此句(A) 中的means 既可理解為單數, 也可理解為複數, 故而可用is 或a re。類似的例子:

1. Every means has been tried. 每種方法都試過了。
2. All possible means have been tried. 所有可能的方法都試過了。
3. This is a dangerous means. 這是一種危險的方法。
4. Such means are unpleasant. 這類方法是令人不愉快的。

但是, 當means 作“ 錢財”、“ 資產”、“ 經濟實力”解時, 則永遠是複數, 如你提出的句(B), 故應填are。類似的例子:

1. You might find out from Larry…what his means are.
   從拉裡那兒你會發現他的經濟實力。
2. Have you the means to support a wife?
   你有錢養老婆嗎?