英语陷阱(3)

 
Do you know how to service this new-type machine?
你知道怎樣維修這種新型的機器嗎?
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 這一句不能譯作:"你知道怎樣使用這台新型的機器嗎?" 如要表達此義,應該說:
   Do you know how to seve this new-type machine?
 在現代英語里,出現了一種用名詞作動詞的傾向.例如:
to paper one's room; to bottle the fruit; to bandage up a wound;
 to oil a machine; to position a factory near the town; to pressure him to do so
等等. 然而, 某些名詞作動詞使用時, 與原有動詞的涵義有所不同,
上面所述的to service和to serve的區別就是一個典型的例子.試對比下列各組詞的不同涵義:

 to power    為...提供動力
 to empower  為...授與權力

 to site     為...提供場所
 to situate  位于; 處于

 to package  給...打包裝箱(美語)
 to pack     給...包裝

 to loan     貸款
 to lend     出借;出租

 to decision 根據積分評定
 to decide   決定;判決

 應當在此指出, 把名詞作動詞使用時必須要符合一條准則,
那就是在找不到適當的動詞表示涵義時,才能用名詞作動詞, 否則就是濫用.
 因此, 以to message代替to send a message to; 用to bill替代
to charge to one's account; 以to signature 代替to sign或用
to suspicion去替代to suspect老是不妥當的.然而,我們又應該注意到,
在現代英語中, 把名詞作為動詞使用的現象是很普遍的,
而且有日漸增多的傾向. 下面是一些從英美書刊中信手拈來的例子:
 Tom has his car serviced (=maintained) regularly.
 Mr. Smith has authored (=written) a book on AIDS.
 You must pressure (=force) him to do it.
 Her dress is patterned upon (=made from) a Paris model.
 Dick is the man who used to partner Mary.
 Opposition to the war snowballed.
 We shall book through to Hong Kong.
 Don't fool away your time, my boy!
 Mr. Smith noons for half an hour every day.
 They have husbanded their farms very well.
 Students in Hong Kong can view a collection of
more than 100 rare species¹ of goldfish in the Ocean Park.
 讀者們不難從上面的例子看出,用名詞作動詞可以帶來一種新鮮感,
 能喚起人們的注意并給人們留下一個逼真生動的畫面.