雙面夏娃與一拖拉庫動物的學問。無痛英文文法2


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無痛英文文法 Chapter 2

雙面夏娃名詞

集合名詞雖然在數量上是單數,實際上卻是指一群人或是物。集合名詞之所以稱之為雙面夏娃,是因為有時候它們可以是單數名詞,有時候又當複數來用。當單數的時候,我們得把那群對象當成是一個整體,動詞就以單數來處理。

Family
Audience
Band
Army
Clergy
Congregation
Class
Faculty
Company
Committee
Mob
Team
Crowd
Flock
Herd

單數名詞來用的時候,記得要這樣寫 

ü  The crowd shouted its approval to the mayor.

ü  The team of players waves at the audience after receiving its championship trophy.
(強調一整個團隊,而非球員)

ü  The company is declaring bankruptcy.(公司宣告破產)

但是當複數名詞的時候,動詞記得要跟著變 :

The class turned in their reports last week.

The Buddhist congregation are faith personified.
佛教聚會的每一個人都是信仰的化身

My family decided to take our vacation early this year.  

一脫拉庫動物的學問

大多數的人對於單位量詞的了解甚少,所以寫來寫去都是 a group of ...many…寫到後來連自己都看不下去。要是有人對著一群小貓說 a kindle of kittens,你可能還不知道啥是kindle咧。這邊我整理了幾個常用的單位量詞,在描述一拖拉庫動物的時候尤其好用。另外還有一些不常用到的,就給喜歡英文的人去了解啦。

常用的單位量詞(用在一群的動物時)

A colony of ants
A swarm of bees
A flock of birds
A herd of cattle

有趣但是比較不常用單位量詞

A plump of ducks
A gang of elks(麋鹿)buffalo(水牛,這個字在英文中複數也不變喔)
A skull of foxes
A knot of frogs
A game of whales
A gaggle of geese (單數為goose)
A pod of walruses 海象
A watch of nightingales 夜鶯群


時間Time的藝術

時間這個字Time到底是單數還是複數?一般人可能會說,當然是單數啊,這麼簡單的問題還用問。但真是這樣嗎?

I don’t intend to waste both of our times solving his problem.
這邊的time加了s,因為這邊的time指的是兩個人個別的時間,所以是兩份時間,用複數形態。

I don’t intend to waster both of our time solving his problem.
這邊的time沒有加s,因為指的是兩個人共同使用的時間,這邊以一份為單位。不過這個句子不如第一句好,因為both其實就說明了是兩份時間。如果沒有both這個字,直接用time,那就簡單多了,用單數表示即可。
I don’t intend to waste our time solving his problem.

留言

  1. Chloe老師妳好
    因為沒有妳的email
    所以我留了msg在妳的facebook
    希望妳能給我一些意見
    謝謝^^

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  2. Hi Fanny,

    Can you leave your message here on my blog? I don't use my facebook account anymore.
    You can leave your email address here, I'll delete it as soon as I get your message.

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  3. 網誌管理員已經移除這則留言。

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  4. Hi Chole,

    I am the student in the email writing class on 27,March.
    Recently,the exteior wall of Taipei city government had a new huge ad.
    It may post by the Department of Cultural Affairs. It said "fiddle faddle international". In Chinese meaing is "弦炫中西. But I check the dictionary it said "fidlle-faddle" means "boring".
    I am confused.
    My email address is ab9328@gmail.com

    Best Regards,
    Charlton

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  5. Hi Charlton,

    I see your point.
    I'm sure it's " fiddle faddle" on the poster, not "fiddle-faddle" right?

    Check out what "fiddle-faddle" means:

    It is all fiddle-faddle. Rubbishy nonsense; talk not worth attention. A ricochet word, of which we have a vast number, as “flim-flam,” “helter-skelter,” “wishy-washy,” etc. To fiddle is to waste time in playing on the fiddle, and hence fiddle means a trifle, and fiddle-faddle is silly trifle or silly nonsense.

    “Pitiful fool that I was to stand fiddle-faddling in that way.” Clough: Amours de Voyage, canto iv. stanza 3.

    So, "fiddle-faddle" might mean silly nonsense, or to waste time doing nothing. (that's why this term has appeared on the package of a famous popcorn ) but without the hyphen - , these two word can have separate meanings :fiddle means the violin and faddle; to toy with something.
    They don't have to be about nonsense.
    Fiddle and faddle can mean toy with (play the voilin).

    I hope this clarifies your doubt.
    Do I need to send this to you gmail?
    Let me know.


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