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“介词+by+名词”类结构的用法

2016-09-18来源:和谐英语

“介词+by+名词”类结构的用法

1. 主要意思及句法功能

我们这讨论的主要是 A by A 的用法, 即by 前后两个名词完全一样,且其前不用任何限定词,其大意为“一……一……地”。与A after A 可用作主语、宾语和状语有所不同,A by A这类结构在句子中主要用作状语。如:

Day by day he became weaker. 他的身体一天天变虚弱。

The bridge was taken down piece by piece. 桥梁被一部分一部分地拆毁。

We skied down the slope one by one. 我们一个接一个地从山坡上滑了下来。

He assembled the model aircraft bit by bit. 他把飞机模型一点一点地组装起来。

They climbed the steep mountain inch by inch. 他们一点一点地攀上那座陡峭的山。

Little by little, he became used to his new family. 他一点一点地习惯了自己新的家庭。

There’s a lot to learn, so we’ll do it step by step. 有许多要学的东西,所以我们会一步步来。

有时翻译比较灵活。如:

Week by week he grew a little stronger. 每过一个星期他都更健壮一点儿。

Year by year their affection for each other grew stronger. 年复一年,他们对彼此的爱愈加强烈。

The police are building up a picture of the incident stage by stage. 警察正在逐步摸清那次事件的经过。

有时需视所搭配的词来确定其意思。如:

The children came in two by two. 孩子两个两个地进来。

2. day by dayday after day的区别

两者均可表示“一天天”之类的意思,但day by day指一个连续不断的过程,强调逐渐在变化;day after day表示反复发生的行为,强调持续时间的长久。比较:

Things are getting worse day by day. 情况一天天变糟。

Day by day he learnt more about his job. 他日益了解自己的工作了。

Day after day went by, and still no message arrived. 一天天过去了,一直还没有消息。

Day after day he waited in vain for her to telephone him. 日复一日,他徒劳地等待着她的电话。

另外,从句法功能上看,day by day 在句中通常用作状语;而day after day 除用作状语外,还可用作主语或宾语。

【注】year after year与year by year也具有以上区别。如:

It’s always the same, year after year. 年年总是如此。

Things are getting worse year by year. 情况一年年变糟。

3. 用于习语的常用搭配

有些 A by A 为特殊习语,不能按“一……一……地”这样来理解,如side by side,它的用法如下:

(1) 表示“并排”“并肩”。如:

Old and young marched side by side. 老幼并肩前进。

They hung the two pictures side by side. 他们把两幅画并排挂着。

Let’s put them side by side for comparison. 把它们放在一起比较一下吧。

The students stood side by side for the class photo. 学生们肩并肩地站好全班照相。

(2) 表示“并肩”“相互支持”。如:

We stand side by side with you in this dispute. 我们在这次辩论中相互支持。

(3) 表示“并行不悖”“相安无事”。如:

Different traditions coexist successfully side by side. 不同的传统和谐地共存着。

The two communities exist happily side by side. 两年来,两套系统我们一直同时使用,并不矛盾。