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有人曾做过一个统计:伊丽莎白时代的文句,长度平均45个词,维多利亚时代平均是29个词,到了现在便只有20 个词。(陈定安:1998,297)

(三)用副词代替某些句型和短语。例如:Hopefully, he’ll return soon.副词hopefully相当于It is hoped that, I hope that等句型。类似的还有:

Interestingly, he never knew that he was the victim of his own joke.

He is reportedly a millionaire.

This is a thought-provokingly different explanation.这个解释完全不同,能给人以启发。

The areas could be profitably rehabilitated.重建这些地区,十分有利可图。

(四)介词使用趋于灵活　介词简约又分多种情况,有的省略,有的则灵活多变。

1. 介词省略。depart from school→depart school, compensate for a loss→compensate a loss , protest against a wrong→protest a wrong,take to flight→to take flight(逃之夭夭)。其他还有:last for an hour→last an hour,at full length→full length (详细地)。

2. 介词的用法变得游移和随便。如different from→different to, different than.介词on被广泛使用,似乎成了万金油。请看下列短语:

aboard a ship→on a ship / to argue over the rights and wrongs→to argue on the rights and wrongs / to specialize in→to specialize on / information about→information on.

(五)各种反传统语法的省略大量出现　英语有些惯用语趋向于较简单的形式,其中的微小成分可以省略不用。

1. 代词的省略。如adapt oneself to→adapt to, to take one’s leave→to take leave.

2. 形容词的省略。如to make both ends meet→to make ends meet (收支平衡),to hit the right nail on the head→to hit the nail on the head(做对、答对)。

3. 动词不定式to的省略。动词不定式to的省略,本不是新鲜事,但近年来有扩大化趋势。(a)作主语:Turn off the tap was all I did. (b)作宾语:I mean help yourself.(c)作表语:The best he could do was remain silent.有时还有这样的句子:Can I come in watch Miss Morrison nurse her Kid?

4. 从句连词that的省略。作为从句连词,that在由它引导的各种从句中,几乎都能省略。值得注目的是,在引导结果从句的“so…that”中,that有时竟也省略。如:The smoke was so thick I couldn’t see whatwas below. She had so many kids she didn’t knowwhat to do.

5.“As”及其他词语的省略。如:as regular as clockwork →regular as clockwork(很准时地)。此外,as…as结构进而演变为复合形容词,并越来越普遍,如:as cold as ice→ice-cold, as clear as crystal→crystal-clear,as green as grass→grass-green,等等,不胜枚举。

6. 冠词省略。冠词省略,早已司空见惯,但是一些惯用语中的冠词也开始被省略,值得注意。例如:pull the 本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。