谈英语演讲中的英语语法认知
摘要: 随着社会的不断发展,演讲变得越来越重要。因为演讲归根结底是一个交流的过程,所以演讲者的目的不外乎是要吸引听众,让听众明白自己的意思,并使其接受自己的观点。所以现在的演讲,特别是国外的竞选演讲越来越趋于口语化,因此,演讲成了身处非英语环境的人们学习英语的极佳素材。
关键词: 英语;演讲;语法
0 引言
英语演讲是一种极富特色的语言形式,在西方有着悠久的历史。早在公元前5世纪左右的古希腊和罗马时期,由于这些国家的规模小而且尚以口头语言为主,人们常常以演讲和辩论的方式决定公众事务。演讲从形式上分,可谓多种多样。从政治演讲到学校里的讲座,从教堂里的传经布道到公司各部门的工作汇报,都是在运用演讲这种形式,达到交流思想的目的。随着社会的不断发展,演讲变得越来越重要。因为演讲归根结底是一个交流的过程,所以演讲者的目的不外乎是要吸引听众,让听众明白自己的意思,并使其接受自己的观点。所以现在的演讲,特别是国外的竞选演讲越来越趋于口语化,因此,演讲成了身处非英语环境的人们学习英语的极佳素材。
1 从语法上
我们对英语中的人称代词的认知是通过语法书得知:we是“我们”的意思,you—你们,they—他们。但在现实生活中这些表示群体的词到底包括哪些人呢?仅仅依靠语法书上给出的条款很难把如此琐碎的细节涵盖完整,而且即便书上罗列的很详细,在头脑中也很难有深刻的印象。但从演讲中学习就不一样了。
1.1 人称代词we的使用
(1)we用来指代一个广泛的群体,即演讲者用其指代他/她认为所有与他/她同属一类的人。这里we的用法是从语法意义上的指示功能来说的。例如:
a. America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. (George W. Bush “Statement by the President to the Nation”)
b. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. (Martin Luther King “I have a dream”)
(2)we用来仅仅指代说话者和听话人在内的群体。例如:
a. Now we have the finest food and equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. You know… My god, I actually pity those poor bastards we’re going up against. (George S Patton “General George S Patton’s Address to His Troops”)
b. We may have started on separate journeys but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake. (Hillary Clinton “Hillary Clinton’s Farewell Speech”)
(3)we用来指代不包括听话人在内的群体。
在实际应用中,人称代词we还可以用来指代不包括听众在内的群体。这时说话人往往是为了强调自己一方的立场与观点而仅仅用其指代演讲者自己以及他/她认为他/她所能代表的其他人。例如:
a. And I thought that was really cool, and we had a team and we put a team together and they won and they got to fly. (Randy Paush “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”)
b. The key partnerships we build with software developers around the world are central not only to the success of Windows but also to realizing the great possibilities that PC technology provides. (Bill Gate “Bill Gates’ Keynote Speech”)
1.2 人称代词you的使用
(1)you用来指代听话者, 且仅仅是听话者。例如:
a. I want to start today by s