Re: [文法] whose的用法

[EngLearner (英語客)]

※ 引述《msbaker (honey)》之銘言：
: 請教一題關於whose的用法:
: They were the Boy Scouts _____ to help eldery people cross  the street.
: A. whose was the task
: B. to whom it was the task
: C. it was whose task
: D. whose task it was
: 答案是D
: 我看書上的解說是,Boy Scouts意為童子軍. whose task it was to help...
: (他們的任務是....)中的"it"是先行代詞,代替後面的不定詞.等於說"to help...
: was their task."
: 我還是不明白這個句子的架構,為什麼會有一個"it"出現? 如果沒有"it",句子就不對了嗎?
: 我對這樣的句子覺得很陌生.請教大家,如果我要查相關用法,可以怎麼查呢?
: 我想再多找一下文法書,把自己不明白的地方再弄清楚.
: 謝謝回答



(一)     先從你的想法看起。以文法角度來說，你是對的。[1][2][3][4]

[1]

Davis,whose task was to investigate non-criminal aspects of the scandal,
told Defense Department investigators that he did not interview senior
officials who attended the convention or identify individuals for disciplinary
action because such actions would be perceived as a "witch hunt."
(LA Times, September 25, 1992)


[2]

He tested specially-equipped Spitfires whose task was to intercept high-flying
Junkers 86P, and later Junkers 188, German photographic reconnaissance
aircraft. (Telegraph, 19 Mar 2004)


[3]

Middlesbrough's Barry Robson replaced Morrison, while the Celtic youngster,
James Forrest, replaced Ross McCormack as one of the two midfielders - the
other being Steven Naismith - whose task was to flank Kenny Miller in Scottish
attacks. (Telegraph, 29 May 2011)


[4]

In 2009, the then Labour government set up the Hillsborough Independent Panel,
whose task was to "oversee the maximum possible public disclosure of
governmental and other agency documentation relating to the Hillsborough
tragedy and its aftermath". (BBC, 13 September 2011)


(二)至於 "it" 為何會在此，可以從兩個角度解讀:

(1)文法:"it" 為 虛詞，以你句子為例，可先看 "It is Boy Scouts' task to help
   elderly people cross the street." 這句只是加上 "They were Boy Scouts."
   上去。"They were Boy Scouts and it was their task to help elderly cross the
   road." 簡化連接詞成為 "They were Boy Scouts it was whose task …." (這句當然
   不能這樣寫，為說明概念不得已而為之)，最後就是你的原句了。



(2)搭配:這想法就容易多了，我們可先設定搭配字群 whose N it is/was to V，再從
   資料中比對。不過資料盡量越多越好，但還是要找可靠來源。我提供一些給你參考。
   我們得到 N 除了 "task" [5][6][7][8]，還有 "work" [9]， "job" [10]等。



[5]

I knew one addict whose task it was, as a 14-year-old,to go out to buy his
mother's heroin, or to accompany her on outings to steal radios from cars to buy
drugs. (Independent, 06 August 2011)


[6]

Father could see that her words were falling on deaf ears. "Let her learn that
getting to Palestine is a pipe dream." For safety, he appointed as chaperone
my 17-year-old brother, whose task it was to bring me back safely.
(Guardian, 31 October 2009)


[7]

For €25, or about $32, each, Shishko performed the operation in the boys'
homes, without anesthetic. He was accompanied by two burly assistants dressed
in red aprons whose task it was to restrain the boys during the operation.
(NY Times, July 31, 2006)


[8]

Michael Chertoff was the man whose task it was to keep the US safe.
(BBC, 17 Sep 2011)


[9]

There are Allied organisations whose work it is to single out, separate and
destroy the dangerous elements in German life. (BBC, 28 June 2005)


[10]

They're the unsung heroes of Hollywood,those whose job it is to stop your heart,
steal your breath and leave you gasping for more - and the chances are, you've
barely given their work a second thought. (Guardian, 25 August 2011)



希望以上對你有幫助 :)



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◆ From: 82.9.142.86
→ davidwu0123:路過 感謝你的詳盡解釋 可以請問你用哪個corpus嗎?
→ EngLearner:我是土法煉鋼慢慢找的:)
→ zofloya:這是好英文嗎? whose something is/was to + V不是更簡潔
→ EngLearner:好英文不是一個人說了就算 如果這麼多知名媒體都廣泛
→ EngLearner:採用 我們應該可以相信它是通用的英文
→ EngLearner:而且其實看不太懂你的意思 你的something 是指?
→ EngLearner:我懂你的意思了 就是把 it 去掉
→ EngLearner:如果你自己做資料筆對你會自己找到答案的 :)
→ EngLearner:是 "比對" :)
→ EngLearner:很多時候簡潔不一定就是好英文 應該說沒有好英文存在
→ zofloya:謝謝你，不過我自己的標準是，簡潔就是好的表達方式
→ EngLearner:"好英文"多半出於過度相信英文有其純正性
→ EngLearner:當你看到用法書都各成一派 有時相互矛盾 誰又敢說哪一
→ EngLearner:為專家說的是"好英文"? 也許身為學習者的我們該省思了
→ EngLearner:不客氣 每人看法不同 這就反映語言的多樣性:)
→ zofloya:對我而言，有自己的看法是好事，對事物提出質疑也是好事
→ zofloya:沒錯，靠，我打字好慢Orz...
→ sneak: 我懂你的意思了 就是把 https://noxiv.com
→ sneak: 對我而言，有自己的看法 https://daxiv.com