英文comma的用法, 請求認真回應

susanlau

2007-04-20 10:04 pm

在報上看見龔如心遺產的新聞, 有段notice:
Mr. Chan is very honoured by the trust and affection, which Nina Wang has shown in passing her entire state to him.
句中affection之後那個comma是否必須? 如果沒有, 會否變成另一個意思或者構成文法錯誤?

更新1:

另有其他情況, comma 的用法: He is the brother of my neighbour, who has bought me the present. He is the brother of my neighbour who has bought me the present. He is the brother of Mark who has reparied the house. He is the brother of Mark, who has repaired the house. 以上四句意思是否不同?有沒有文法錯誤? 謝

更新2:

typo- passing her entire estate to him.

更新3:

thx! 續問一: 按此理, 如果沒有comma, 成為non-defining clause, 則暗示nina 對此mr. chan的有些 trust & affection 是可以從送贈遺產中這動作之中見到, 有些trust & affection 則不能在送贈遺產的動作中見到, 英語人士見到豈不覺得很怪很好笑? 這個comma 看來是一定要加了, 是不是?

更新4:

續二: 鄰居和兄弟那句例句: He is the brother of my neighbour who has given me the present. He is the brother of my neighbour, who has given me the present. 從字面看, 送禮的是鄰居還是他的兄弟?

回答 (1)

keith

2007-04-20 10:24 pm

✔ 最佳答案

與其話係問comma用法，不如講defining / non-defining relative clauses。

例如：There is a box. It is red. 如要用一句去講，it is red 係用o黎形容 a box，所以就用 which 代替 it，於是：
There is a box, which is red.

呢度 which is red 係一個可有可無o既附加資料，因為只得一個箱，你可以好肯定係講緊邊個。咁呢句就係 non-defining（非定義），要用comma隔開。

再睇：There are two boxes. One is blue, the other is black. One has a cup inside.

邊個箱有個杯？如果我唔講明邊個你就唔會知，所以如果我要加資料令你知，咁呢句子句就係 defining，唔用comma。

The box which is blue has a cup inside.

小甜甜o個句，如果照咁加comma，咁the trust and affection就係一樣大家都知o既事，作者亦用 the 去指明。至於有冇comma o既影響，你o個幾句就正好用來做範例。其實句意冇大分別，只係暗示左一ｄ背景：

He is the brother of my neighbour, who has bought me the present.
（鄰居只有一個兄弟）
He is the brother of my neighbour who has bought me the present.
（鄰居有多於一個兄弟）

👍 0 👎 0