matter(n.)2

一般而论,由 what 或 who + be 构成的特殊疑问句,常常可以作两种分析:A. what 或 who 是主语;B. what 或 who 是表语(主语补足语),见 who $^{1}$ 。因此,在间接问句(见 indirect question)中就可能出现两种不同的语序:

Who is that man?

He asked $\$left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text{who that man was.} \\ \text{who was that man.} \end{array} \right.

但是,在我们对英语的大量实例进行分析后发现,像 What's the matter 这样的句子并不具有上述特点:what 只能分析为主语。因为当 the matter 作“毛病”“问题”“麻烦事”解时,只能用作表语(主语补足语),相当于 wrong:

1. Is anything the matter? (SEFC, 2A, p.57) 有什么麻烦吗?

2. Something is the matter with your lungs. 你的肺有毛病。

3. “What's the matter with you?” “Nothing is the matter with me.” “你怎么啦?” “我没有什么。”