nominal relative clauses(名词性定语从句)

大家都知道，一般的定语从句总有一个被其修饰的名词或名词短语（叫做中心词）：

1. The person who did that should admit it frankly. (CGEL) 做了这件事的人应当坦白地承认。

2. Did you find the thing that you wanted? 你找到你要的东西了吗？

3. That's the place where we differ. 这就是我们分歧之所在。

4. Sunday is the day when very few people go to work. (ALD) 星期天是很少有人上班的日子。

5. That is the reason why I came early. 这就是我来得早的原因。

名词性定语从句与上面的定语从句不同，并不显性地含有充当中心词的名词或名词短语，而是把定语从句与其中心词合二为一。因此，从句法功能上看，它仍是一个名词中心词+定语从句的结构。这个名词中心词或者是内含着，或者是省略掉的。

1. The person who did that should admit it frankly. → Whoever did that should admit it frankly.

2. Did you find the thing that you wanted? →Did you find what you wanted?

3. That's the place where we differ. $\$rightarrow That's where we differ.

4. Sunday is the day when very few people go to work. $\$rightarrow Sunday is when very few people go to work.

5. That's the reason why I came early. $\$rightarrow That's why I came early.

引导名词性定语从句的关系词有: whoever(偶尔用 who), what, whatever, where, wherever, whichever, when, why 等等。

名词性定语从句在句中可作主语、直接宾语、间接宾语、介词宾语、表语、宾语补足语等：A.作主语

1. What that child needs is a good spanking! 那男孩子需要的是狠狠地被揍一顿屁股!

2. Whatever she did was right. 凡是她所做的都是正确的。

3. Whoever comes will be welcome. 谁来都会受到欢迎。

4. Whoever did it should be proud. 做了这件事的人应当感到骄傲(或谁做了这件事,谁就应当感到骄傲)。

5. Whichever(of you) comes in first will receive a prize. （你们之中）谁第一个进来，谁就得奖。

6. Whichever you want is yours. 你要哪一个,哪一个就是你的。

B. 作直接宾语

1. Do you find what you want? 你找到你要的东西了吗？

2. Do whatever you like. 你喜欢干什么就干什么。

3. I'll lend you whatever you need. 无论你需要什么,我都会借给你。

4. I'll take whoever wants to go. 谁想去我就带谁去。

5. All the books are here. You may borrow whichever you like. 所有的书都在这儿,你愿借哪本就借哪一本。

C. 介词宾语

1. The car stopped short only a few inches from where I stood. 那汽车突然停了下来,离我站的地方仅仅有几英寸。

2. We wrote a letter of thanks to whoever had helped us. 我们给帮助过我们的人写了感谢信。

3. You must give it back to whoever it belongs to. 它属于谁,你就应当把它还给谁。

D. 作间接宾语

1. He gave whoever asked for it a copy of his latest paper. 谁要他最近发表的那篇论文，他就给了谁一份。

2. She gave whoever came to the door a winning smile. 凡来到门口的人,她都给他一个胜利的微笑。