2013年9月11日星期三

誰人修理? - 古德明

2013年09月10日 - 蘋果

問:最近在報上讀到先生一句英文:I've had so many other things go wrong lately and they've all cost a lot to get them fixed(近來我有不少東西都壞了,修理都花了很多錢)。句子下半截改為they've all cost a lot to fix,會不會好一點?

答:讀者提出這問題,是因為拙欄說過,「這本書很好看」英文是The book is a joy to read,不可用被動語態(passive voice)說The book is a joy to be read。不過,這句式和They've all cost a lot to get them fixed的句式有點不同。

論文法,They've all cost a lot to fix這一句並沒有錯,但其意思可能是指「我花了很多錢,自己修理」,那「修理者」不一定是他人;正如The book is a joy to read所說的「讀者」,不一定指他人,也可以指說話人自己。

They've all cost a lot to get them fixed卻毫無疑問是指「請人修理」。一九九七年版Oxford Guide to English Grammar第一一一節談到「get+受詞(object)+被動分詞(passive participle)」這句式:This pattern means "cause something to be done".... We use this pattern mainly to talk about professional services to a customer(這句式是指「使某事做好」……我們一般用這句式來說給顧客的專業服務)。書中舉了I got my car serviced一例,並解釋說:This means that I arrange for someone, for example a garage, to service my car; I did not service it myself(這是說我請修理廠等維修汽車,而不是自行維修)。

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