96修饰语的最高级(superlative degree)

英语语法进深──博客

96修饰语的最高级(superlative degree):                           　　　　　　　    8/24/2014

在现代的北京话中, “挺” 字已代替了“顶” 字.  “挺好” 和英文的"very good" 意思极其相似 (在说者并没有带什么加强语势的称赞), 但 “顶好” 乃是英文的 "the best" 的意思, 是存心的要加强语势, 一定是指 “这” 最好的人或事物, 比较合乎逻辑.  在这两个修饰语最高级的词中, 似乎并没有带什么来比较的意念.  以编辑者的意见, 修饰语的最高级就是最上的, 最好的, 和极端的, 必须连带他或它自己也包括在内.  再仔细看看这两个中文词汇, 你会发现前面的没有加上定冠词 “the” , 而在第二个词汇中加上了 “the”.  这是修饰语的最高级的语法中要注意的一点.  若是用形容词来表达人或事物, 必须后面接的是名词, 那么所指出的人或事物必定很特出, 非寻常的, 所以要加定冠词 “the” 来约束.  而第一个词汇是以副词来修饰形容词 “good”“很好”, 似乎没有加定冠词来约束的必要. 

最高级是我们日常生活中天天要引用的.  比方说 "He is one of the most learned scholar",  "I read one of the most interesting novel", 或 "He is the funniest man I have ever seen."  尤其, 在寒暄的谈话中往往会说 "With the greatest pleasure" 以答复别人的请求, 或者说 "I shall be most delighted to see you" .  其意义不过是 "with pleasure",  "very delighted." 并未表示最高级的加强语势意图.  英语语法称这种情况为修饰语最高级的弱势变化, 把它要加强的语气变弱了.

两个以上的人或事物比较时, 要用最高级, 常用的规则形式 –est 或 most.  短的字一个音节至两个音节用 -est, 如, busy  -> busiest, long -> longest,  hot -> hottest, easy -> easiest,  hard -> hardest 等.  而 most ... 多用在两个音节或以上的多个音节的字, 如,  most famous, most boring, most difficult

     [例]

             Of all the days in the week Saturday is busiest.

             He is the best person I have ever seen.

             Even the brightest boy in the class could not pass the test. 

             English is the most interesting subject we learn.

                                                 

用最上级时, 那被比较的东西, 不可放在和它比较的东西的范围之外, 因此我们不能说: the tallest of any; 或the finest of all others. 应该说: The tallest of all; the finest of all. 这点和比较级不同, 如在比较级, “He is better than any other boy in the class.” 是对的; 若写为“He is better than any boy in the class.” 就不对了,  因不能把自己放在比较的里面.

     例如 :  

                He is the tallest of any student in his class.  (不合理)

                He is the tallest of the students in his class.  (把自己放在内. 对的)

Shakespeare is the greatest of all other English poets.   (不合理)               

Shakespeare is the greatest of all English poets.   (正确的)

最上级的字, 用作副词时, 其前常不加 the.  (重申要注意这一点)

例如 :

   I like baseball best (我最喜好棒球)

   Whom do you admire most? (你最佩服何人?)

   He went farthest (他走得最远).  

      [注] : 若为形容词的最上级, 其前面须加 the.

                例如 :

These are the best grapes I could buy.
    (这些是我所能买到的最好的葡萄)       

This man has the largest number of coins in his collection.

(这人藏有最多的古钱)

最上级修饰语带有集合的意义时, 可用 one of  把那集合体中的一个抽出讲, 如: one of the best, 不可用a 或 an.

例如:

         He wrote one of the best books of the season.

             That fellow is one of the worst students in the class.

oldest 和 eldest 如在修饰语比较级的使用限制相同.  在家庭人物中用 "eldest ".

    例如 :

   That church is the oldest building in the town. (不可用 'the eldest')

               My eldest son is 13 years old. (‘my eldest’ 用在家庭人物中, 对的 )

               Are you the eldest in your family?

下面是几个介词用在最高级的习惯, 必须记牢.

   1.  最高级涉及地方时, 应用 “ in ”  如, towns, buildings 等地方.

        例如 :

              What is the longest river in the world?             (不用 'of the world')

              We had a lovely room. It was one of the nicest in the hotel. 
                   (不用 'of the hotel')

   2.  最高级用在机构组织及一群人时, 也用 “ in ”  如, a class, team, company 等.

        例如 :

              Who is the best student in the class? (不用 'of the class')

    3.  最高级用在表一段时间, 则必须用 “ of  ”.

         例如:

 What was the happiest day of your life?

              Yesterday was the hottest day of the year.

習題九十五

试完成下列各句, 使用 –est 或 most; 并加 介词 “ in 或 of ” .

  1 It's a very nice room. It is the nicest room in the hotel.           范例

  2. It's a very cheap restaurant. It's ＿＿＿ the town.

  3. It was a very happy day. It was ＿＿＿ my life.

  4. She's a very intelligent student. She ＿＿＿ the class.

  5. It's a very valuable painting. It ＿＿＿ the gallery.

  6. Spring is a very busy time for me. It ＿＿＿ the year.

在下列各句中, 使用 “one of …” 加上最高级, 而后再加上介词 “ in 或 of ”.

  7 It's a very nice room. It is  one of the nicest rooms in  the hotel.    范例

  8. He's a very rich man. He's one ＿＿＿ the world.

  9. It's a very old castle. It ＿＿＿Germany.

  10. She's a very good player. She ＿＿＿the team.

  11. It was a very bad experience. It ＿＿＿ my life.

  12. He's a very dangerous criminal. He ＿＿＿the country. 

使用修饰语最高级时, 英美人士常常用动词的现在完成时制来配合, 常把它放在最高级修饰语后面.  编辑者对此习惯用法有深深的感触, 故以习题来举例说明, 希望年轻喜欢学习英语的朋友留意, 并以悟性来领会它们在时间上的相关.  换句话说, 即在这种情况下你该如何在谈话中来对应.

    例如 :

  What's the best film you've ever seen?

              That was the most delicious meal I've had for a long time.

习题九十六

      在这种情况下,  如何在谈话中使用最高级, 并配合 “... ever ...”来应对.  要使用在

      括弧内的字 (需正确的形式).

  1. You've just been to the movie. The film was extremely boring.
  You tell your friend:(boring,film,see)That's the most boring film I've ever seen.
    范例

  2. Your friend has just told you a joke, which you think is very funny.

      You say:   (funny, joke, hear) That's ＿＿＿.

  3. You're drinking coffee with a friend. It's really good coffee.

      You say: (good, coffee, taste) This ＿＿＿.

  4. You are talking to a friend about Mary. Mary is very patient.

      You tell your friend about her: (patient, person, meet) She ＿＿＿.

  5. You have just run ten kilometers. You've never run further than this.

       You say to your friend: (far, run) That ＿＿＿.

  6. You decided to give up your job. Now you think this was a bad mistake.

       You say to your friend: (bad, mistake, make) It ＿＿＿.

  7. Your friend meets a lot of people, some of them famous.

       You ask your friend: (famous, person, meet?) Who ＿＿＿?

                                    请将习题寄至            swlei2011@gmail.com