As it happens, we probably won't have all that much time for a holiday, though.
许多语法书上都指出,as 可作关系代词,引导非限制性定语从句,它在其中充当主语、宾语等。上面的句子里在 as 之后又加上了充当主语的 it,是不是错误的?
as 可以引导定语从句,包括修饰句子的定语从句(sentential relative clauses)。这种从句可放在句首、句中或句末。
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As has been said above, a magnet produces a magnetic field in the space around itself. 如上所说,磁铁在其周围的空间会产生磁场。
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Spiders are not insects, as many people think, nor even nearly related to them. (New Concept English, Book 4) 蜘蛛并不像许多人所认为的那样是昆虫,它甚至与昆虫没有任何关系。
所以常常可以看到下面这样一些含有关系代词 as 的定语从句:
as everybody knows, as you may remember, as you say, as I can see, as I have said, as I'm told, as you may have heard
有的英语语法著作(如葛传槊:《英语惯用法辞典》,p.64)据此便把 as it happens 这类句子斥为错误用法。例如,他们说下列句子里的“it”“是要不得的”:
“1. The author was brought up in a small village, as it is recounted in some of his stories.”
- As it is announced in today's papers, all the schools will reopen on 1 September."
然而,英语的实际使用情况并非如此。事实上,许多作者都愿意在这类句子里加上一个“it”,来代表整个句子、句子一部分或名词短语,而把 as 看作是从属连词:as it happens, as it appears, as I see it, as I interpret it。这就是说,上面的两种结构都是正确的。下面我们列举一些例句来证明这一点:
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As it appears from her essay, she has read widely in Romantic literature. (CGEL) 从她的文章看,她好像阅读了大量的浪漫主义文学作品。
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He is the best candidate, as it seems. (CGEL) 他好像是最佳的候选人。
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As it happens, we probably won't have all that much time for a holiday, though. 但是,碰巧我们的假期不会有那么长的时间。
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Our difference, as I see it, is one of method and not of principle. 在我看来, 我们的分歧是方法上的, 而不是原则上的。
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As it turns out, the Holy Grail does indeed make an appearance in The Last Supper. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 没错, 圣杯确实出现在《最后的晚餐》上。(《达·芬奇密码》)