which ⁷ (指人)

对于英语初学者可以说关系代词 which 不能用来指代人,对于英语水平较高者则应指出:在下列情况下,which 可以用来指代人。

A. 当关系代词 which 充当定语从句的表语或宾语时, 可以用来表示某类人所具有的性格、人品、素质、地位或职业等。例如:

1. He imagined himself to be an artist which he was not. (CGEL) 虽然他不是艺术家,但是他却把自己想象成一个艺术家。

2. They accused him of being a traitor, which he was. (CGEL) 他们指责他是叛徒，他真是个叛徒。

3. He is exactly the man which such an education was likely to form. 他正是这种教育可能造就出来的人。

4. He is a teetotaller, which I am not. (CGEL) 他是个绝对禁酒主义者，而我不是。

5. It is Freud the analyst which we most enjoy. 我们最为欣赏的是分析家弗洛伊德。

6. He talked like a native, which he hardly was. 他说起话来像是个本地人,其实他不见得是。

B. which 可以用来指代不分性别的婴儿或儿童:

1. This is the baby which needs inoculation. (CGEL) 这是那个需要打预防注射针的婴儿。

2. His mother had ten children, of which he was the oldest. 他的妈妈有10个孩子，他是最大的。

C. 当用作先行词的集体名词表示整体,而不是表示其成员时,应当使用关系代词 which,但是严格说来,这里的 which 并不是指人,而是指与人有关的集体:

1. a family which dates back to the Norman Conquest (CGEL) 一个可追溯到诺曼底人征服英国时期的家族

2. the government, which is cutting its losses (CGEL) 正在削减损失的政府

3. the committee which was responsible for this decision (CGEL) 对这个决定负责的委员会

4. The audience, which was most enthusiastic, applauded the soloist. 极为热情的观众为那位独唱演员热烈鼓掌。