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摘要：定语从句通常用来修饰名词或代词，一般都位于它所修饰的先行词后面，以免产生岐义。但事实上违反这一规定的情况是屡见不鲜的，因此隔裂词序的安排必须十分谨慎，如果从意义、性、数等难以判断先行词时，那么定语从句和先行词的隔裂词序就应尽量避免。
关键词：定语从句 先行词词序
定语从句通常用来修饰名词或代词，一般都位于它所修饰的先行词后面，以免产生岐义。例如:
(A)Shanghai is a busy port which contains miles of docks．(先行词是“port”)
(B)This is the internationalism．with which we oppose both narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism．(先行词是internationalism)
(C)No one who returned from the front failed to express admiration for Bethune whenever his name was mentioned．(先行词是one)
但事实上违反这一规定的情况是屡见不鲜的。在书面语中尤其如此。这主要是由于以下各种原因所造成：
1. 定语从句很长而主句本身却很短，由于文字上的平衡或修辞上的原因，往往将定语从句放在谓语后面，形成定语从句与先行词隔裂的词序。
(A)The time is gone when a doctor would wait at home for his patients．
(B)No soldier or civilian was unmoved who had been treated by Dr．Bethune or had seen how he worked．
2. 当先行词带有介词短语，而该介词短语又比定语从句为短时，常将定语从句放在它的后面。
(A)He joined in the working-class movement in 1921，which was inspired by the October Revolution.
(B)There are many thousands of stars in the sky that are like the sun．
(C)Light waves are waves of energy that travel through space at the rate of 186,000 miles per second．
(D)Christmas week is a week of the Western people in which they do a great deal of shopping．
這种隔裂词序的安排必须十分谨慎，而且是有先决条件的：
首先，从定语从句的意义上看必须显然不致引起岐义。(如上面(2)(A)的例句中“which was inspired by the October Revolution”在意义上显然是只能修饰“the movement”，而不可能是“1921”年。)
其次，从定语从句的引导词上必须可以明显判断出所修饰的对象是人还是物，是地点还是时间；从而能避免岐义。(如上面(2)(D)的例句中引导词是in which而不是who，可见它所修饰的是“week”，而不是“the people”。)
再次，从定语从句中谓语动词和先行词的一致关系上必须可以明显判断出它所修饰的对象。(如上面(2)(C)的例句中，定语从句的动词是“travel”，可见它所修饰的先行词必定是复数的“waves”而不可能是单数的“energy”。)
如果从意义、性、数等难以判断先行词时，那末定语从句和先行词的隔裂词序就应尽量避免。否则，一不注意就会出现严重的误解。例如：(A)There are requirements of the courses which are listed．可以解释为：那里有着列出来的各门课程的要求(所列出的是课程)。也可以解释为：那里有着各门课程的列出来的要求(所列出的是各项要求)。
(B) They are the students of those scientists，who are the members of the Society．可以解释为：他们是那些是学会会员的科学家的学生(学生们未必是学会会员)。也可以解释为：他们是那些科学家的学生，是学会会员(学生们本身是学会会员)。
如果从句插入句中，两头都要用逗号隔开，否则就可能产生严重的岐义。试比较下列各句：
All these parcels，which had lovely dolls in them，were sent to my little daughter．
All these parcels which had lovely dolls in them were sent to my little daughter．
为了说明这个逗号在定语从句中的重要性，我们不妨引用一下语法学家Eckersley所举的一个有趣的例子。他说有一个牧师不愿意穿通常牧师所穿的衣服，有一天，他说了这么一句话：I will wear no clothes which will distinguish me from my fellow-men．
但当他的话被披露到报纸上时，被错误地加上了一个逗号，于是变成了下面这样的句子： I will wear no clothes，which will distinguish me from my fellow-men．(我不要穿衣服，以区别于我的同胞们。)
为了避免岐义，应该尽可能将先行词放在定语从句前面，这是无可置疑的。但实际上常有这样的情况：即先行词本身带着关系密切的介词短语或分词短语等，从而使定语从句被隔开了。这时可供参考的办法是：
1. 将容易引起岐义的词移到前面去(能作这种移动的介词短语多半属于状语词组)。
(A)他从桌上抓起一本头一天晚上买的书冲出房间。
误：Snatching a book from the desk which he had bought the night before，he rushed out of the room．(可能被误解为“从头一天晚上买的桌子上抓起一本书……”)应改为：Snatching from the desk a book which he had bought the night before，he rushed out of the room．
(B)在谈话中他提起了一篇我已忘掉的文章。
不好的词序：He mentioned an essay in his conversation，which I had forgotten already．(可能误解为“在一次我已忘掉的谈话里……”)应改为：In his conversation he mentioned an essay，which I had forgotten already．
2. 上述办法行不通时，可以用改换句型的方法避免岐义。例如：
(A)这些姑娘中有些人，在这工作上是新手，对自己信心不足。
误：Some of these girls who were new hands in the work didn’t have enough confidence in themselves．(可能误解为：“这些姑娘在工作上都是新手”)
可改为：Being new hands in the work，some of these girls didn’t have enough confidence in themselves．
(B)他们领导的部队这时已控制了所有桥头堡，马上就可以向南推进。
不妥的词序：The forces led by them，who were now in possession of all the bridgeheads，were ready to push southward．(可能误解为控制桥头堡的是他们自己)可改为：The forces led by them were now in possession of all the bridgeheads and ready to push Southward．
关键词：定语从句 先行词词序
定语从句通常用来修饰名词或代词，一般都位于它所修饰的先行词后面，以免产生岐义。例如:
(A)Shanghai is a busy port which contains miles of docks．(先行词是“port”)
(B)This is the internationalism．with which we oppose both narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism．(先行词是internationalism)
(C)No one who returned from the front failed to express admiration for Bethune whenever his name was mentioned．(先行词是one)
但事实上违反这一规定的情况是屡见不鲜的。在书面语中尤其如此。这主要是由于以下各种原因所造成：
1. 定语从句很长而主句本身却很短，由于文字上的平衡或修辞上的原因，往往将定语从句放在谓语后面，形成定语从句与先行词隔裂的词序。
(A)The time is gone when a doctor would wait at home for his patients．
(B)No soldier or civilian was unmoved who had been treated by Dr．Bethune or had seen how he worked．
2. 当先行词带有介词短语，而该介词短语又比定语从句为短时，常将定语从句放在它的后面。
(A)He joined in the working-class movement in 1921，which was inspired by the October Revolution.
(B)There are many thousands of stars in the sky that are like the sun．
(C)Light waves are waves of energy that travel through space at the rate of 186,000 miles per second．
(D)Christmas week is a week of the Western people in which they do a great deal of shopping．
這种隔裂词序的安排必须十分谨慎，而且是有先决条件的：
首先，从定语从句的意义上看必须显然不致引起岐义。(如上面(2)(A)的例句中“which was inspired by the October Revolution”在意义上显然是只能修饰“the movement”，而不可能是“1921”年。)
其次，从定语从句的引导词上必须可以明显判断出所修饰的对象是人还是物，是地点还是时间；从而能避免岐义。(如上面(2)(D)的例句中引导词是in which而不是who，可见它所修饰的是“week”，而不是“the people”。)
再次，从定语从句中谓语动词和先行词的一致关系上必须可以明显判断出它所修饰的对象。(如上面(2)(C)的例句中，定语从句的动词是“travel”，可见它所修饰的先行词必定是复数的“waves”而不可能是单数的“energy”。)
如果从意义、性、数等难以判断先行词时，那末定语从句和先行词的隔裂词序就应尽量避免。否则，一不注意就会出现严重的误解。例如：(A)There are requirements of the courses which are listed．可以解释为：那里有着列出来的各门课程的要求(所列出的是课程)。也可以解释为：那里有着各门课程的列出来的要求(所列出的是各项要求)。
(B) They are the students of those scientists，who are the members of the Society．可以解释为：他们是那些是学会会员的科学家的学生(学生们未必是学会会员)。也可以解释为：他们是那些科学家的学生，是学会会员(学生们本身是学会会员)。
如果从句插入句中，两头都要用逗号隔开，否则就可能产生严重的岐义。试比较下列各句：
All these parcels，which had lovely dolls in them，were sent to my little daughter．
All these parcels which had lovely dolls in them were sent to my little daughter．
为了说明这个逗号在定语从句中的重要性，我们不妨引用一下语法学家Eckersley所举的一个有趣的例子。他说有一个牧师不愿意穿通常牧师所穿的衣服，有一天，他说了这么一句话：I will wear no clothes which will distinguish me from my fellow-men．
但当他的话被披露到报纸上时，被错误地加上了一个逗号，于是变成了下面这样的句子： I will wear no clothes，which will distinguish me from my fellow-men．(我不要穿衣服，以区别于我的同胞们。)
为了避免岐义，应该尽可能将先行词放在定语从句前面，这是无可置疑的。但实际上常有这样的情况：即先行词本身带着关系密切的介词短语或分词短语等，从而使定语从句被隔开了。这时可供参考的办法是：
1. 将容易引起岐义的词移到前面去(能作这种移动的介词短语多半属于状语词组)。
(A)他从桌上抓起一本头一天晚上买的书冲出房间。
误：Snatching a book from the desk which he had bought the night before，he rushed out of the room．(可能被误解为“从头一天晚上买的桌子上抓起一本书……”)应改为：Snatching from the desk a book which he had bought the night before，he rushed out of the room．
(B)在谈话中他提起了一篇我已忘掉的文章。
不好的词序：He mentioned an essay in his conversation，which I had forgotten already．(可能误解为“在一次我已忘掉的谈话里……”)应改为：In his conversation he mentioned an essay，which I had forgotten already．
2. 上述办法行不通时，可以用改换句型的方法避免岐义。例如：
(A)这些姑娘中有些人，在这工作上是新手，对自己信心不足。
误：Some of these girls who were new hands in the work didn’t have enough confidence in themselves．(可能误解为：“这些姑娘在工作上都是新手”)
可改为：Being new hands in the work，some of these girls didn’t have enough confidence in themselves．
(B)他们领导的部队这时已控制了所有桥头堡，马上就可以向南推进。
不妥的词序：The forces led by them，who were now in possession of all the bridgeheads，were ready to push southward．(可能误解为控制桥头堡的是他们自己)可改为：The forces led by them were now in possession of all the bridgeheads and ready to push Southward．