第1个回答 2010-05-25
何谓可数名词?
如果你是个学生,正坐在教室内,环顾四周,你一定可以指出许多具有实体的物品:
desks, chairs, flag, clock, computers, keyboards, projector, books, bookcases, pens, notebooks, backpacks, lights, students desks, chairs, flag, clock, computers, keyboards, projector, books, bookcases, pens, notebooks, backpacks, lights, students
现在你再指出一些属於教室本身一部份的东西:
floor, wall, ceiling, windows, door, chalkboard floor, wall, ceiling, windows, door, chalkboard
你可以想像迄今你所指出的每样东西如果超过一项时是长得什么样子--虽然你要有一间以上的教室才能有一个以上的地板或天花板。 这些都是可数名词-- 你可以计数的东西。
用法:
可数名词可以复数化。
我们可以使用如下的词句:
a. many bottles
b. few bottles
c. a few bottles
这些名词(单数和复数) 的前面可以加适当的定冠词和不定冠词-- the加在单数与复数可数名词前面,而a或an加在单数可数名词前面。
单数可数名词的前面可以加this和that以及every, each, either和neither 。
复数可数名词的前面可以加these和those以及some, any, enough和零冠词 。
可数名词前面不可加much 。
何谓物质名词(不可数名词)?
这里我们列出一个物质名词表来让你思考。 你能计算这些东西的数目? 我们在平常的讲话和写作中曾经使用过这些字当中任何一个的复数型? 表中第一栏的东西有什麼共同点? 那第二栏? 在上面有关教室物品的叙述中,我们指出教室内可以计数的东西。 同一间教室内有那些东西是我们无法计数的?
wood
cloth
ice
plastic
wool
steel
aluminum
metal
glass
leather
porcelain
hair
dust
air
oxygen water
milk
wine
beer
cake
sugar
rice
meat
cheese
flour
reading
boating
smoking
dancing
soccer
hockey
weather
heat
sunshine
electricity
biology
history
mathematics
economics
poetry Chinese
Spanish
English
luggage
equipment
furniture
experience
applause
photography
traffic
harm
publicity
homework
advice
用法:
不可数名词的类别: 上表第一栏的东西是材料和物质,第二栏为食物;这些栏目的类别包括金属、气体、液体和固体。 在第三和第四栏中,我们明显见到以活动(activities) 类别为主,包括运动、语言、学科、自然事件以及由多个物件组合而成的东西(如设备、行李和家具)。
一般而言,这些名词不能被复数化。 第二栏的不可数名词(食物) 在表达「种类」(type) 时可以复数化:
a. There are new wines being introduced every day. a. There are new wines being introduced every day.
b. The waters of the Atlantic are much warmer this time of year. b. The waters of the Atlantic are much warmer this time of year.
c. The Dutch are famous for their cheeses . c. The Dutch are famous for their cheeses .
d. The spring rains came early. d. The spring rains came early.
我们可以使用如下的词句:
a. much harm
b. little harm
c. a little harm
这些名词的前面可以加定冠词或不定冠词:
a. the sunshine
b. an experience
c. a wine
但它们通常是零冠词:
a. Smoking is bad for you. a. Smoking is bad for you.
b. Poetry is beautiful. b. Poetry is beautiful.
c. Sugar is sweet. c. Sugar is sweet.
d. Experience is the best teacher. d. Experience is the best teacher.
这些名词的前面可以加some, any, enough, this, that和much 。
由於这些名词不可数,它们的前面不能加these, those, every, each, either和neither 。
何谓抽象名词?
这里我们也列出一个抽象名词表来让你思考。 在身体的感觉上,你能触摸或看到这些东西? 你能计算它们的数目? 这些字在句子中可以用作复数?
peace
warmth
hospitality
information
anger
education
melancholy
softness
violence conduct
courage
leisure
knowledge
safety
shopping
justice
chaos
progress speed
experience
time
friendship
trouble
work
culture
virtue
taste
evil
liberty
democracy
death
grief
piety
用法
由於抽象名词指的是观念和构想,许多人很难理解抽象名词怎麼可以复数化。 事实上,许多抽象名词不能复数化。 上表前两栏的抽象名词不能复数化,而后两栏的抽象名词则可以。
下面我们将讨论抽象名词复数化时会产生什么样的情况。
a. The griefs of the nation are too much to bear. a. The griefs of the nation are too much to bear.
b. The editors took liberties with our prose. b. The editors took liberties with our prose.
c. She formed many friendships at college. c. She formed many friendships at college.
就这些字前面的量词和冠词而言,我们在上面对不可数名词所叙述的文法观念也适用於抽象名词。
一个名词怎麼可以既是可数名词又是 物质名词?
如果我们将一个名词的意思想像为从特定意思到一般和抽象意思的连续,我们就可以理解它怎麼可以从可数名词变成 物质名词。
以 experiences这个名词为例,当我说
I had many horrifying experiences as a pilot. I had many horrifying experiences as a pilot.
我是指在我担任飞行员的岁月里特定,可数的时刻。 当我说
This position requires experience . This position requires experience .
我是以抽象方式来表达这个字的意思。 那是你无法计数的东西;它比较像一种观念,一种想要谋得这份工作的人必须拥有的普通的东西。
如果我说
The talks will take place in Degnan Hall. The talks will take place in Degnan Hall.
这些talks是可数的事件或演说。 如果我说
I hate it when a meeting is nothing but talk. I hate it when a meeting is nothing but talk.
talk这个字现在不可数;我指的是闲谈的一般,抽象的观念。
evils是指特定的罪恶(骄傲、嫉妒、怠惰及每个人的最爱-- 贪食),而evil是指邪恶的一般观念。
再举一例:"I love the works of Beethoven." 意谓我喜欢贝多芬的交响曲、奏鸣曲和弦乐四重奏曲等作品( works ) -- 全部都是可数的。
"I hate work ." 意谓我对一般劳动的观念非常讨厌-- 谁喜欢工作?。
注意:这个字的复数与单数的意思截然不同;它们显然有关连,但意思完全不同。
再者,如前所述,几乎所有物质名词在用于「分类」时都可以变成可数名词:
They served some nice Brazilian wines . They served some nice Brazilian wines .
There were some real beauties in that rose garden. There were some real beauties in that rose garden.
We had some serious difficulties in this project. We had some serious difficulties in this project.
但有些事物是不能变成可数或复数的。
我们不能说furnitures, informations, knowledges, softnesses, or chaoses。
每当有疑问时,务必查阅字典-- 当然是比较权威的字典。可数与不可数名词:
进阶篇 可数与不可数名词
可数名词与不可数名词的观念对英语为第二语言的学生来说特别困难,因为那些名词是可数,而那些名词又不可数并没有一定的标准。
例如,虽然某人可能给我们数次忠告和建议,但在英语中,我们不能说 they give us advices ,而要说they give us advice 。
下面我们以一个表格来说明可数名词与不可数名词的类别。 表中的反白字代表在英语中绝对不可能或非常不可能出现。 ( Seinfeld是美国一个很受欢迎的电视节目的名称。)
Carlos saw Carlos saw
1 2 3 4
Seinfeld tree dancing paper
the Seinfeld the tree the tree the dancing the dancing the paper the paper
a Seinfeld a tree a tree a dancing a dancing a paper a paper
some Seinfeld some tree some tree some dancing some dancing some paper some paper
Seinfelds trees dancings papers
包括Seinfeld在内,属於第1栏的名词都叫做专有名词,而专有名词通常是不可数的(例外:我们可以说"there are four Harrys in the room.",而政治实体如美属维京群岛在用做地理实体时可以是可数的-- "the Virgin Islands are among the most beautiful . . ." -- 这些复数化地理名词要加定冠词)。
其他三栏的名词为普通名词。
在第2栏中,我们可以放入一向被视为个别项目,可数项目的可数名词如tree 。
在第3栏中,我们可以放入被视为不可数项目的不可数名词如dancing -- 我们视这些名词为「不可分割的群体」(如water ;注意: beads是可数的小珠珠)。
在第4栏中,我们可以放入可数或不可数名词如paper,stone和cake 。 例如,我进入面包店后可以说"I want a cake" (面包店的一项个别产品),或者在我跟一位朋友进入面包店之前,我可以对他说"I want cake" -- 我并未指涉特定的蛋糕,只是在表达我想吃蛋糕的意思,任何蛋糕或任何一片蛋糕都可以。
就是第四栏的名词令许多写作者困惑。我们必须再次提醒的一点是,有些名词的可数型态与不可数型态的意思截然不同。 兹举若干实例如下:
可数 不可数
She had many experiences. She had many experiences. Does she have enough experience? Does she have enough experience?
The lights were bright. The lights were bright. Light hurts my eyes. Light hurts my eyes.
There's a hair in my soup! There's a hair in my soup! Hair is important on a cold day. Hair is important on a cold day.
Give me three coffees. Give me three coffees. I'd love some coffee. I'd love some coffee.
We study sugars in organic chemistry. We study sugars in organic chemistry. Put sugar in my coffee. Put sugar in my coffee.
The papers were stacked on the table. The papers were stacked on the table. We wrote on paper. We wrote on paper.
当一个不可数名词被用於分类的情况时,它可以被当做可数名词。 因此, wine通常是个不可数名词("I'd love wine with dinner."),即使你喝了一杯以上的酒,你仍然是喝wine ,而不是wines 。 但当我们在做酒的分类时,这名词就变成了可数的:"There are many fine Canadian wines."。 甚至water这个字在某些情况下也可以变成可数的:"the waters of the Pacific Ocean are noticeably colder this year."。 有时一个名词可以是可数或是不可数,而它们的意思几乎完全相同:
Chilean wine is superb. Chilean wine is superb.
Chilean wines are superb. Chilean wines are superb.