关于英语动态动词与静态动词的用法李丽华(鞍山师范学院外语系鞍山114005)摘要:本文从英语动态动词和静态动词的分类入手,根据分析和比较的结果,系统地阐述动态动词和静态动词的用法。
关键词:动态动词静态动词Abstract: This thesis elaborates the usage of the English dynamic and stative verbs systematically and focusses the attention on the accurate use of various verbs in the Englishlanguage.Key Wrds: Dynamic verbs Stative verbs英语中的动态动作和静态状态可以表现在动词中,从语义角度讲,动词可以分为动态和静态。
本文着重就动态动词(dynamic verbs)和静态动词(stative verbs)的语义和句法特征做进一步的分析。
一、动词(dynamic verbs)和静态动词(stative verbs)的概念及分类。
实义动词按其语义特征可以分为动态动词和静态动词。
1.动态动词(dynamic verbs):表示运动状态的动词。
这类动词分为五种:(1)活动动词(activity verbs)(2)过程动词(process verbs)(3)感觉动词(verbs of bodily sensation)(4)过渡性动词(transitional verbs)(5)瞬间动词(momentary verbs)2.静态动词(stative verbs):表示相对静止状态的动词。
这类动词分为三种:(1)感觉动词(verbs of perception)(2)认识动词(verbs of cogition)(3)关系动词(relation verbs)二、动态动词(dynamic verbs)1.活动动词(activity verbs):这类动词表示动作的发出者的有意识的,主动的行为。
这类动词有:ask,write,listen,play,run,keep,work etc.One of the students asked me a question.The girl writes to her mother once a week.2.过程动词(process verbs):这类动词表示“过程”含有逐渐过渡的语义,通常情况下,表示动作转化为状态。
这类动词有:change,grow,get,widen,become,mature,deteriorate etc.The village has changed a great deal since we last visited it.It is growing cold.3.感觉动词(verbs of bodily sensation):这类动词表示客观事物的个别特征在人体中引起的反映。
这类动词有:ache, feel, hurt, itch etc.My back was hurting.Are your mosquito bites still itching?4.过渡性动词(transational verbs):这类动词表示动作由一个阶段逐渐发展而转入另一种状态。
这类动词有:arrive, die, fall, land, leave, lose etc.The train arrived at the station.Tom’s grandfather died five years ago.这里需要指出的是当上述过渡性动词用于进行体时,表达的不是动作达到的语义,而是过渡状态。
The train was arriving. (火车快到站了.)Tom’s grandfather was dying. (汤姆的祖父快要去世.)5.瞬间动词(momentary verbs)这类动词表示瞬间发生随即完成的动作。
这类动词有:hit,jump,tap,knock,kick,nod,meet,shoot,drop,etc.The boss hit the boy on the head.The teacher tapped the child on the shoulder.值得语言学者重视的是:瞬间动词一旦用于进行体,常表示重复性动作。
The boss was hitting the boy on the head. (连续打击)The teacher was tapping the child on the shoulder. (连续拍打)其中begin 虽为瞬间动词,但用于进行体中,并不表示重复,而是表示“刚刚开始”:You are beginning to wonder whether the plan can be practicable.通过对上述动态动词(dynamtic verbs) 的语义特征进行的分析, 可以概括为以下几点用法:1)动态动词可以用于祈使句。
Stop talking.Please open the door.2)动态动词可以用于进行体。
The students are reading the text.The weather is changing for the better.3)动态动词可以用于复合宾语中。
I told him to go to the clinic.She asked the student write the composition.4)动态动词可以用于带有do 代词形势得假拟分裂句。
What I did was to make notes.What I did was to leav.三、静态动词(stative verbs)1.感觉动词(verbs of perception):感觉动词用来表示主体的思维和五官活动的动词。
这类动词有:see, hear, smell, sound, taste, etc.We can smell something burning.Can you taste onion in the soup?2.认识动词(verbs of cognition):认识动词用来表示各种思想感情及心理状态。
这类动词有:astonish,desire,believe,love,hate,remember,know,want,wish,think,recognize,etc.His words astonished all.I didn’t recognized her.3.关系动词(relational verbs):关系动词用来表示主体和其他事物之间的静止关系或状态。
这类动词有:apply to,be,belong to,concern,resemble,consist of,contain,cost,depend on,deserve,fit,have,remain,seem,need,own,etc.The rules apply to all undertakings.Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.通过对上述静态动词(stative verbs)的语义分析,可以概括为以下几点:1)静态动词不能用于祈使句。
不能说:Hear, someone is knocking at the door.Know him, please.2)静态动词一般不以进行体形式出现。
不能说:I am knowing that Jack went there.Our class is consisting of 20 students.3)静态动词不能用于复合宾语(complex objects)中。
不能说:I ask him to smell something unpleasant.I advised him remember it.4)静态动词不能用于带有do 代词形式的假拟分裂句。
不能说:What I did was to feel pain on my head.What she did was to dislike the novel.四、动态动词(dynamic verbs)和静态动词(stative verbs)的其他用法。
以上对动态动词和静态动词的语义和句法特征进行了分析,两者之间存在一些固有的差异,但是并非一成不变的,在一定语义中可以互相转化。
1.在一定的语境中,静态动词可以转化为动态动词。
I can smell gas, it smalls awful. (汽油味是无意识闻到的,闻起来很难闻。
)I can hear someone singing. (唱歌是无意识听到的。
)2.有的静态动词转化为动态用法,可以用于祈使句:Don’t be late.(be 在这里不是“是”的意思,而是与表语late一起构成迟到的行为。
) Know the answer.(know 在此处不是“知道”的意思,而是“弄清”。
)3.一些静态动词可以用于进行体。
1)表示某一具体时间内的暂时心理活动:She is being clever. (暂时性)His father trusted him. (经常性)His father is trusting him. (当时的情况)2)表示动作的主体主动地有意识地进行某一动作:I’m feeling this desk.(主动性)I’m tasting those wines for nearly an hour.(主动性)3)表示某种心理,情感的行为反复发生,并且含有感情色彩:What are you wanting this time?(意味来过几次,每次都要不同的东西,而这次又要什么?话语中有不耐烦的情绪。
) She is continually distrusting her judgement.(意味着反复发生的行为却不相信自己。
)4)词汇意义有所变化,这时候它们在不同的场景下,可以用不同的其它动词来代替:She is hearing the lectures at the university.( hearing = listening to)Tome is seeing the sights. (seeing = visiting)5)表示某种认识,感觉的获得有一个持续的过程:We are finding this problem is more complicated tha we expected.(缓慢的一个过程)They are realizing (at last) that they must give up smokinfg.(逐渐的过程)6)表示“开始”的含义:I’m forhetting the German language.(forgetting = beginning to forget)He is understanding this better.(understanding = beginning to understand)7) 表示婉转,客气的语气:I’m hoping you will come and play.(我真希望您来玩。