浅谈文言文与英语在语法结构上的相似性

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15

Introduction

Language is obviously essential for human beings. For years, people

have

talked

more

about

learning

English

than

classic

Chinese,

which

should

have

been

regarded

more

important.

Actually,

classic

Chinese,

with its long history, is rich in content, and has its own charm.

To

study

a

foreign

language,

first

of

all,

mother

tongue

should

be

learnt

well

to

form

a

foundation

of

language,

such

as

language

sense,

language

structure,

and

the

perception

of

the

language.

Thus,

we

can

understand the foreign language better.

What is more, although English and classic Chinese are not relative

languages, they have many common characteristics on expression and on

grammatical structure. So, there is something we can take advantage to

study both languages. This thesis is going to talk about the similarities on

the grammatical structure in Classic Chinese and English from the aspects

of

morphology

and

syntax.

By

doing

so,

we

can

promote

the

communication

of

different

cultures

and

can

use

is

practically

in

translation work.

1

I. Brief Introduction of Two Languages' Grammatical Structure

Although English and classic Chinese are not relative languages, they have many

common characteristics on expression and on grammatical structure.

Chinese

is

a

language

structured

in

“

subject

+

verb

+

object

”

(SVO)

for

long

time, with

its objects

usually behind

predicates

or prepositions. However, in

classic

Chinese

the

objects

are

more

flexible.

They

are

usually

been

put

in

front

of

the

predicates

or

the

prepositions,

namely,

the

objects

fronting.

It's

different

from

the

modern Chinese, but just the same as in modern English under the condition that the

objects are interrogative pronouns.

In

English,

complements

that

complete

the

meaning

of

Subject

or

Object

are

called

subject

complements

(Sc)

and

object

complements

(Oc).

Sc

equals

to

the

adverbial in the determine sentences or description sentences in classic Chinese. If an

adverbial acts as a predicate, it should combine with the link verb in front of it, but in

the classic Chinese the determine sentences do not use link verbs, so the one we call

predicate in classic Chinese should be the adverbial in English.

There are five basic sentence patterns in English:

E1 Subject+link Verb+predicative

E2 Subject + Verb (vi.)

E3 Subject + Verb (vt.) + Object(direct)

E4 Subject + Verb (vt.) + Object (indirect) + Object (direct)

E5 Subject +Verb (vt.) + Object (direct) + Object complement

Sentences

diversify

by

adding

or

reducing

attributes,

adverbial

modifiers

or

changing word order.

There are six basic sentence patterns in classic Chinese:

C1 Verb + (Object)

C2 Subject + Object

C3 Subject + Verb + Object

C4 Subject + Verb + Object (immediate) + Object

2

C5 Subject +Verb1 + concurrent + Verb2 + Object

C6 Subject + Verb1 + (Object)+Verb2 + (Object)

Sentences diversify also by adding attributes, adverbial modifiers or ingredients

omission.

Words are the basic formation of language, so let

’

s take a look on the similarities

in morphology aspect first.

II Analysis of Morphology

As the most essential element of languages, words function on the same way in

two languages should be paid close attention. The following part is going to talk about

four

aspects

of

the

issue,

including

words

conversion,

the

using

of

Causative

and

Conation, words inversion, as well as the fayuci. The words conversion goes first.

2.1 Conversion

The definition for conversion is that

category to form a word with new function in grammar or new meaning

formation features with no affix, which is also known as

a

great

deal

of

words

can

be

conversed,

and

the

formation

is

considered as a prolific method of word formation.

2.1.1 Words turn into nouns

A number of verbs and adjectives can be conversed to their corresponding nouns.

For example:

(1) He

walked

for a while.

V

.

He went for a

walk

.

N.

(2) She has been

sick

for works.

Adj.

They did their best to help the

sick

and the wounded.

N.

The

boldfaced

words

show

the

conversion.

The

word

does

not

contain

only

one

part

of

the

speech,

it

can

change

part

of

speech

without

changing

their morphology. The same happened in classic Chinese as following:

(1)

知

之为

知

之，不

知

为不

知

，是

知

也。

《论语·为政》

V:

知道

3

(2 )

手等有痛痒之

知

。

< br>《神灭论》

N:

知觉

(3)

子路宿于石门，晨门日

:

“奚

自

?

”

《论语·宪问》

V:

从，由

(4)

知人者知，

自

< br>知者明。

《老子》

N:

自己

The word

知

自

way that English words do.

2.1.2 Words turn into verbs

It's common for nouns and adjectives to be conversed into verbs. For instance:

(1)

Water

is changed into steam by heating into ice by cold.

N.

I am

watering

the lawn.

V

(2) He hammered the

nail

into the wall.

N.

We have to

nail

the sign to the wall.

V

.

Usually, we can use the name of tools to express the action in English.

means

Here are examples of classic Chinese: < /p>

(1)

严刑罚，则民远邪。信

庆

赏，则民轻难。

《管子·牧民》

N:

奖赏

绝

庆

吊之礼。

《后汉书·王充传》

V:

庆贺

( 2)

勾勾

醉客夜徘徊。

《花楼望雪命宴 赋诗》

N:

逗留

勾

注涂改甚多。

《跋司马公倚几铭》

V

：用笔打勾

庆

or

celebrate

classic Chinese,

勾

period time of staying

2.1.3 Words turn into adjectives

We can use a noun to modify another noun without adding any adjective suffixes

or changing its genitive cases. It could also regard as a conversion.

E.g. (1) dep thcharge (

深水炸弹

)

(2) danger zone (

危险区

)

Generally, the

conversion is

a common word formation

in

both

English

and in

Classic

Chinese.

It

provide

us

an

opportunity

to

learn

them

well

by

remember

the

similarities between both languages.

4

2.2 Causative & Conation

2.2.1 Causative

The causative in English is very strict with the verb. To fulfill a causative, verbs

should be transitive and followed by objects. The most commonest causative sentence

pattern is S+V+O(+Oc).

(1) We work hard to make our country even more beautiful.

(2) I'd like to get Tom to repair my car.

(3) The results surprised the students.

(4) He seated his son by the window and left the room.

The causative in classic Chinese is a flexible application of concurrent but with

more concision. The causative verbs contain a concept of

we have to make a judgement on weather a verb is a causative verb or not, we can

check it with the concept of

verb

is

transitive

or

not.

Intransitive

verbs

act

as

predicates

are

always

regarded

as

causative verbs.

Here are some examples:

(1)

项伯杀人，臣

活

之。

《鸿门宴》

(2)