一、直接引语和间接引语的概念
直接引语和间接引语是叙述人们说话的两种方法。
直接引语指说话人直接引用别人的原话。这样重复的话语要放在引号内,且在原话前加逗号,引号内每个句子的第一个单词的首字母必须大写。例如:
He asked,“Where did you go?” 他问:“你到哪里去了?”
间接引语是指说话人用自己的话把别人的意思转述出来。间接引语在多数情况下是变成宾语从句,即和主句一起构成一个含宾语从句的主从复合句,不用引号。例如:
She said(that) those books were hers. 她说那些书是她的。
二、直接引语转间接引语
直接引语在转换成间接引语时,要注意人称的变化、句子结构的变化、主从句时态的一致、语序的变化、指示代词的变化、时间状语的变化、地点状语的变化以及部分动词的变化等事项。
1、人称的变化
直接引语在转换成间接引语时,人称的变化规则是:一随主,二随宾,三不变。
1) 一随主:即直接引语中的代词是第一人称时,在间接引语中必须和主句的主语相一致。例如:
Tom says,“I’m from America.” 汤姆说:“我来自美国。”
→Tom says(that) he is from America.汤姆说他来自美国。(I变成了和主语Tom相一致的he)
2) 二随宾:即直接引语中的代词是第二人称时,在间接引语中必须和主句的宾语相一致。例如:
She asked me,“Where do you live?” 她问我:“你住在哪里?”
→She asked mewhere I live. 她问我我住在哪里。(you变成了和宾语me相一致的I)
3)三不变:即直接引语中的代词是第三人称时,在间接引语中保持不变。例如:
Kate said,”They like reading.” 凯特说:“他们喜欢阅读。”
→Kate said(that) they liked reading. 凯特说他们喜欢阅读。(they保持不变)
【注意】人称的变化包括人称代词、物主代词和反身代词等。
2、句子结构的变化
1)直接引语是陈述句时,用连词that引导,that通常可以省略,尤其是在口语中。例如:
He said, “I have been to Beijing.”
→He said (that) he had been to Beijing.
【注意】如果间接引语是由that引导的两个或两个以上的并列宾语从句,第一个连词that可以省略,以后的连词that一般不省略,以免造成句子结构上的混乱。例如:
Doctor Li said, “You are nothing wrong. You’ll be bettersoon.”
→Doctor Li said(that)I was nothing wrong and that I would be bettersoon.
2)直接引语为疑问句时,要注意将注意原主句中的谓语动词say改为ask (sb.)、wonder或want to know等,且间接引语中必须使用陈述句的语序(即宾语从句中的主语之前不能任何动词)。至于说连词的确定,情况如下:
a) 直接引语为一般疑问句、反意疑问句或选择疑问句时,间接引语中用连词if或whether引导。例如:
He said, “Do you have any music CDs?”
→He asked(me)whether/if I had any music CDs.
→He wondered whether/if I had any music CDs.
→He wanted to know whether/if I had any music CDs.
I asked, “Will you take a bus or a train?”
→I asked him whether he would take a bus or a train.
→I wondered whether he would take a bus or a train.
→I wanted to know whether he would take a bus or a train.
b)直接引语为特殊疑问句时,就由原来的疑问词来充当间接引语的连词,注意原特殊疑问词的被修饰语必须紧随其后,不可分开。如:
He asked, “How many bowl of rice did you have, Lucy?”
→He asked Lucy how many bowl of rice she had had.
c) 直接引语形式上是疑问句,但表示请求,建议意义时,可ask sb. to dosth.,suggest doing,advise sb. to do sth. 等形式来转述。如:
“Could you open the door, please?” he asked.
→He asked me to open the door.
“Why not going out for a walk?” he asked us.
→He advised us to go out for a walk.
→He suggested going out for a walk.
3)直接引语为祈使句时,改为间接引语时,一般用带to的不定式表达,原主句中的谓语动词通常要改为ask, advise,beg, tell, order, offer, request, suggest, warn等。如ask sb. to do(由肯定祈使句变成),ask sb. not to do(由否定祈使句转变),并且在不定式短语中的时间状语、地点状语、人称及时态都作相应的变化。如:
He said,“Jane,be careful, please.”
→He asked Jane to be careful.
“Don’t be late for class again.” He said the boy.
→He told the boy not to be late for class again.
He said, “Let's have a walk.”
→He suggested our having a rest.
He said, “Let me help you.”
→He offered to help me.
4)直接引语是感叹句时,转间接引语可用what或how引导,也可用that引导,如:
The policeman said, “How clever you are!”
→The policeman said how clever I was.
→The policeman said I was very clever.
3、主从句时态的一致
1) 如果主句的谓语动词是一般现在时,直接引语变为间接引语时,从句的动词时态保持不变。例如:
He says, “China is verygreat.” →He says (that) Chinais very great.
Mum says,“I’ll be back in a minute.” →Mum says she’ll be back in a minute.
2) 如果主句的谓语动词是一般过去时,直接引语变为间接引语时,从句的谓语动词通常要改成相应的过去时态。具体情况见下表:
直接引语 间接引语
一般现在时 一般过去时
一般过去时 一般过去时/过去完成时
现在进行时 过去进行时
一般将来时 过去将来时
现在完成时 过去完成时
过去完成时 过去完成时
过去进行时 过去进行时
过去将来时 过去将来时
3)直接引语陈述的如果是客观事实、真理、名言、警句、谚语等,在变为间接引语时,时态保持不变。
Our teachersaid, “The earth goes around the sun.”
→Our teachersaid (that) the earth goes around the sun.
4、指示代词,时间状语,地点状语和动词等的变化
直接引语中的一些指示代词,时间状语,地点状语和部分动词须作如下相应的变化:
直接引语 间接引语
this这 that那
these这些 those那些
now现在 then那时
today 今天 that day 那天
tonight 今晚 that night那天晚上
this week 这星期 that week那个星期
yesterday 昨天 the day before前一天
last week 上星期 the week before前一个星期
ago以前 before 以前
tomorrow明天 the next/following day第二天
next week 下星期 the next week 第二个星期
here 这里 there 那里
come来 go 去
bring带走,拿走 take 带来,拿来
【注意】直接引语中的时间状语根据实际情况转述为间接引语时,有时不需要改变。
如tomorrow,转述的动作发生在说话的当天,就不用改变;但如果转述的动作不发生在说话的当天,则要将tomorrow变为the next day.
又如here,转述地点就是说话时的地点时,不须变化。
5、标点符号
整个复合句的标点符号必须与主句一致,即主句是陈述句时用句号,主句是问句时用问号。