说明
the singer and the dancer/the singer and dancer
核心问题
The singer and the dancer is to attend our English evening.
一位歌唱家兼舞蹈家将要出席我们的英语晚会。(《大学英语》1996年第一期，p.56)
The singer and the dancer 可以译为“一位歌唱家兼舞蹈家”吗？
词典解答
上面的英文和中译文都存在问题。可能是笔误，也可能是印刷错误。但是，这里存在的问题，对于我们的讨论倒是极其有用的。
如果 and 所连接的是两个人或两个事物, 则在每个名词前都得加定冠词, 而且其谓语动词要用复数:
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The singer and the dancer are to attend our English evening. 那位歌唱家和那位舞蹈家将出席我们的英语晚会。
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The owner and the editor of the Daily Post were members of the club. 《每日邮报》的老板和编辑曾是这个俱乐部的会员。
如果 and 所连接的两个名词表示一个人或一件事物, 则两个名词共用一个定冠词, 并且其谓语动词必须用单数:
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The singer and dancer is to attend our English evening. 那位歌唱家兼舞蹈家将参加我们的英语晚会。
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The owner and editor of the Daily Post was a member of the club. (CGEL) 《每日邮报》的老板兼编辑曾是这个俱乐部的会员。
[参见 a(an) ]