在英語寫作中,恰當運用銜接方式可以使句子之間,段落之間乃至通篇文章銜接緊密,語意連貫。否則,則可能出現連貫性差,過渡不自然,表達不流暢等問題。以下列舉幾種常見的語言銜接手段。
1.運用代詞,既避免詞的重復使用,又使句意連貫。例如:Sinon told his story well. He pretended that he was an enemy of Odysseus and the Odysseus had planned to take his life. 句中使用了his,he等代詞。
2.運用同義詞,與代詞所起作用類似。如:…you are abundantly suited to the post we have in mind. But we are faced with a certain difficulty. Employing you would mean placing you in a position of authority over a number of our English employees, many of whom have been with us a very long time, and we feel that such an appointment would adversely affect the balance of good relationship which has always obtained in this firm. 這里運用了同義詞post, position, appointment等使句子過渡自然妥帖。
3.重復使用詞或詞組加強文章的連貫性。例如:We have then impressive authority for asserting that there are indeed American traits. To enumerate such traits does not in any way imply that they are unique to the Americans; most Western peoples, after all, share a common character. Nor do it imply that all Americans reveal these traits.
4.運用銜接詞或詞組。銜接詞或詞組作為語言的連接成分,可表示句子之間,段落之間的不同關系。如,表示遞進的銜接詞有additionally, further, in addition, furthermore, moreover, whats more, in the same way等。表示歸納總結的有in summary, to sum up, to conclude, in conclusion, in short, in other worlds等。表示對照比較的有unlike, similarly, in the same way, aversely,notwithstanding 等。表示舉例說明的有for example, for instance, such as, namely, as an illustration,in the same manner, in other words, in particular, to illustrate等。表示條件的有as long as, if, provided that, on condition that, in case, supposing, assuming 等。表示時間的有thereafter, before, earlier, meanwhile, simultaneously, previously, eventually, later, formerly, at the same time, afterwards, at length等。表示讓步或轉折的有but, yet, still, though, although, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, in contrast, whereas, however等。表示因果的有as a result, as a consequence, so, consequently, in consequence, because (of), accordingly, for that reason, due to, owing to, thanks to, hence, thats why, now(that), through,in view of, considering that, whereas等。表示列舉、事件順序的有firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally, in the first place, next, last, to begin with, before, after, later, at last, in the end 等。
熟練掌握并適時運用以上的銜接手段可使文章層次明晰,過渡自然,渾然一體。
【作者簡介】孟憲杰,湖州師范學院。