英語插入語的用法（值得一看）

本文首發於立文悉通微信公眾號（Transystom）

插入語的用法

The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot.

插入語的用法很難運用自如，因為我們通常很難確定在句子當中如however這樣的一個單詞或者一個短語算不算插入語。如果這種插入不會在很大程度上影響語句表達的流暢，作者就可以直接省略逗號。但是，如果不能肯定這種插入是否會對句意表達造成影響，那麼作者就不能省略一個逗號，只用另一個表示，以下表達是不對的：

• Marjorie』s husband, Colonel Nelson paid us a visit yesterday.

或者

• My brother you will be pleased to hear, is now in perfect health.

日期的表達方式如下：

• February to July, 1992
• April 6, 1986
• Wednesday, November 14, 1990
• 6 April 1988

人名或頭銜有時也是插入語，如下：

• If, Sir, you refuse, I cannot predict what will happen.
• Well, Susan, this is a fine mess you are in.

etc.、i.e.和e.g.以及學位等也是插入語，表達如下：

• Letters, packages, etc., should go here.
• Horace Fulsome, Ph.D., presided.
• Rachel Simonds, Attorney
• The Reverend Harry Lang, S.J.

限制性頭銜不需要逗號，如下：

• Billy the Kid
• The novelist Jane Austen
• William the Conqueror
• The poet Sappho

雖然Junior（縮寫為Jr.）通常被認為是插入語, 但是從邏輯上來看它其實是限制性的，所以不需要逗號，如下：

• James Wright Jr.

對於非限定性從句而言，需要遵循從句放在兩個逗號之間這一原則。

• The audience, which had first been indifferent, became more and more interested.

與此同理，由where和when所引導的從句也是這樣來標註標點符號的。

• In 1769, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.
• Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, is a few miles from Bridgewater.

這些由which、when和where引導的從句是非限制性從句，它們的目的是對主句的先行詞做補充說明，而不是對先行詞加以限定。這樣一來，每個非限制性從句都可以看做兩個相對獨立的句意的結合，相當於如下句子：

• The audience was at first indifferent. Later it became more and more interested.
• Napoleon was born in 1769. At that time Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.
• Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner at Nether Stowey. Nether Stowey is a few miles from Bridgewater.

然而，限制性從句不應該被兩個逗號隔開：

• The candidate who best meets there requirements will obtain the place.
• People who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones.

在這個句子中，關係從句限制了先行詞candidate或people的含義，指的是特定的人，所以，在這種情況下，句子不可以像上面的幾個例句那樣拆分開。

同樣的規則適用於分詞短語和同位語

• People sitting in the rear couldnt hear, (限制性)
• Uncle Bert, being slightly deaf, moved forward, (非限制性)
• My cousin Bob is a talented harpist, (限制性)
• Our oldest daughter, Mary, sings, (非限制性)

主句前的短語或從句也用逗號隔開

• Partly by hard fighting, partly by diplomatic skill, they enlarged their dominions to the east and rose to royal rank with the possession of Sicily.

如果在插入語前面有連詞的話，那麼第一個逗號需要放在連詞之前，而不能放在連詞後面。

• He saw us coming, and unaware that we had learned of his treachery, greeted us with a smile.

來源：The Elements of Style