有感于英语教学中英文逗号的误用与歧义

摘 要：学生中普遍存在对英语逗号误用、滥用以及因误用而引起的歧义现象，为培养学生正确使用逗号的意识，文章归纳出逗号易误用与产生歧义的常见情况，并选取具有代表性的逗号误用的例子加以阐述，以期能够帮助学生在写作、翻译中正确使用逗号。

关键词：英语教学 英文逗号 误用 歧义

根据笔者多年的教学经验，不少学生在英语学习中对英文标点符号，尤其是逗号的正确使用，无法引起足够的重视，通常是一“逗”到底，除非使用标志明确的叹号、引号、问号等。其实，小逗号，大作用。它对我们无论是在阅读中准确理解句子结构还是翻译、写作中把自己想要表达的意思准确地传达给他人，都有着十分重要的作用。逗号在英语中使用频率最高，而且要遵循一定的规则，否则会出现逗号误用、滥用以及因误用而引起的歧义现象。

一、逗号误用面面观

(一)并列结构中

1.逗号拼接(Comma Splice)［1］P193是当前英语写作中的一种常见错误。意思是把本该使用句号或分号两个句子分开，却用了逗号，而且无任何连词。即逗号一般情况下不能用于连接两个独立分句。可用下列方法避免逗号拼接的错误。

The chairman rapped on the table, the audience quieted down. (误)

The chairman rapped on the table, and the audience quieted down. (正)

The chairman rapped on the table; the audience quieted down. (正) (注：此时分号的作用就相当于逗号加上表示前后两句之间关系的相应连词)

The chairman rapped on the table. The audience quieted down. (正)

2. 当两个或多个语义密切相关、简短且平行的并列分句连用时，可直接使用逗号，不用连词。逗号的这一用法违背了以上原则，是个例外，常见于文学作品中［2］P429。

A memoir is history, it is based on evidence. (E. M. Forster)

We worked, we swam, we read, we slept, and we saw the summer pass by quickly.

I must, I will, I can.

3. 逗号用于列举三个或三个以上并列成分时，在最后一个并列成分前应用and连接，但and前的逗号可以有，也可以无。从当代英语来看，and前用与不用逗号都是常见的［1］P194。

The air was clean, fresh and sweet. (a, b and c)

The air was clean, fresh, and sweet. (a, b, and c)

The air was clean and fresh and sweet. (a and b and c)

(二)状语结构中

1.句中when有时相当于and then，具有并列连词的功能，此时when前应有逗号。

We were about to start when it began to rain. (不妥)

We were about to start, when it began to rain. (正确)

2. 从句先于主句，从主句之间加逗号，相反，习惯上不加逗号。但也有例外，如果强调从句句意，即便从句置后，主从句之间也要加逗号。

I nearly collapsed, when I got to the top of the mountain.

You’ll be unable to finish the work in time, if you don’t start at once.

3. 在以for example, moreover, for instance, furthermore, nevertheless, otherwise, that is, besides, therefore, also, accordingly, however, hence, still, consequently, instead, thus 等副词或词组连接的独立分句之间要用分号［4］P861。

Electronics is changing the habits of many people, for example, television viewing is becoming popular throughout the world.(误)

Electronics is changing the habits of many people；for example, television viewing is becoming popular throughout the world.

4. 在短而简单的介词短语引出的句子之后，介词短语后很少使用逗号，除非产生歧义。

由于受正规英语结构的束缚，我们习惯将状语置后。其实，英语中以状语开头的句子俯拾皆是，而且自然通顺，不影响理解。

At 10 o’clock the bus arrived. (不必写成At 10 o’clock, the bus arrived)

At 90 she was still alive.

On hearing the big noise I knew something terrible had happened.

In the corner of the room they found the injured cat.

(三)插入结构中

1. 插入语一般要用逗号同其他句子成分隔开。

There are people I am sure who will say that the water is too cold. (误)

There are people, I am sure, who will say that the water is too cold. (正)

2. 短语式同位语作插入语时一般要用逗号同其他句子成分隔开。

Maxine Rowe an expert who studies weddings says that there are a lot of rituals and superstitions at weddings. (误)

Maxine Rowe, an expert who studies weddings, says that there are a lot of rituals and superstitions at weddings. (正)

3. 在as...as, if not adj-er than结构中［4］P248

有时，为了表达的需要，同一句中可能同时使用原级和比较级两种形式。这时，逗号的使用不能破坏比较结构的完整性。

In his time he enjoyed a reputation greater, if not as great as, than Mozart’s.(误)

In his time he enjoyed a reputation, as great, if not greater, as Mozart’s.(误)

In his time he enjoyed a great reputation as great as, if not greater than, Mozart’s.(正)（注：该结构总是原级先于比较结构）

(四)直接引语中

1. he said之类的用语位于两个独立分句之间，那么在he said 之后应用句号或分号［5］P53。第一个引语内最后使用逗号，第二引语首字母大写。

“Try this book,” he said; “I think you will like it.”

“And you must report everything to him,” said Holmes. “He will tell you how to act.”

2. 逗号放在被切断了的直接引语前一部分之后，即第一个引语内最后用逗号，且he said之类的用语之后亦用逗号。

“If you go to China,” he said, “you should first of all see the Great Wall.”

“I wonder,” said John, “whether I can borrow your bike.”

3. 直接引语放在句首，则引号中句尾须用逗号，而不是句号。因为全句到此并未结束，尽管该句已经结束［5］P53。

“You did your homework yourself,” the teacher said.

“Color TV sets are very popular in our village,” she remarked.

“I can hardly hear the radio,” said my brother. “Could you turn it up?”

二、逗号歧义大“盘点”

(一) 有时句意受到标点符号的直接影响，用不用标点大不相同。比较下列各组句子［4］P261。

A pretty young girl(相当年轻的姑娘)

A pretty, young girl(年轻漂亮的姑娘)

Henry, my brother is waiting for you outside.我弟弟在外面等着你呢。（Henry为呼语，同you为一人）

Henry, my brother，is waiting for you outside.我弟弟亨利正在外面等着你。（Henry和my brother为同位语，是同一人，you为另一人）

He left his sweetheart feeling very lonely.他使他的情人感到非常孤独。（left为使役动词， feeling为宾语补足语）

He left, his sweetheart feeling very lonely.他离去了，他的情人感到非常孤独。（his sweetheart...为独立主格结构）

He left his sweetheart, feeling very lonely.他离开了他的情人，感到非常孤独。（feeling为分词短语，修饰主语he表示伴随状况）

There is too much work to do.工作多得做不完。

There is, too, much work to do.还有很多工作要做。

(二) 限制性定语从句通常紧接先行词，主从句之间一般没有逗号；非限制性定语从句与先行词之间常有逗号隔开。两者的深层含义不尽相同。

They have two children who are still at schoo1. 他们有两个都还在上学的孩子。(他们可能不只有两个孩子)

They have two children, who are still at scho1. 他们有两个孩子，都还在上学。(他们只有两个孩子)

(三)为使句意表达清楚，有时必须使用逗号，不然句子结构显得怪异，甚至产生歧义。

The question is, is the room large enough to hold so many people?

That she knew where the money was, was news to me.

Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of branches.外面的草坪到处都是树枝。(如果outside后去掉逗号，那意思就变为“在草坪的外面到处都是树枝。”)

从以上英语逗号中易误用的实例中不难看出，英语逗号的使用有一定的规则。由于受汉语母语的干扰，中国学生用英文写作、翻译时，往往不能正确理解和使用英语逗号，轻则误用、滥用，重则造成歧义，影响交际。希望通过对逗号误用实例的分析，能加深其在学生头脑中的印象，达到正确使用逗号的目的。当然，逗号的变化多样性远非文章所能穷尽，但若在平时训练中能够有意识地注意逗号的用法，无疑会使你的文章锦上添花。

参考文献：

［1］王玉龙.英语修辞与写作［M］.青岛：青岛出版社，1996.

［2］丁往道，吴冰.英语写作手册(修订本)［M］.北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1994.

［3］李经纬.英语标点符号用法指南［M］.北京：金盾出版社，2004.

［4］徐广联.大学英语语法(修订本)［M］.华东理工大学出版社，1998.

［5］陈洁.小逗号，大学问［J］.大学英语，2006，(2).