英文论文英汉存在句比较研究(2)
II.On the English Existential Sentence
The existential sentence is a very important sentence pattern in English. Other sentence patterns cannot stand comparison with it in its extensive usage, not only in spoken language but also in written language. For this reason, it is of necessity for us to make a detailed study of this kind of sentence.
2.1 The Definition of English Existential Sentence
English existential sentence, often called there-sentence, is especially important for its peculiar linguistic properties. In English, the existential sentence is used to indicate the existence or emergence of things. It generally begins with an unstressed there occupying the subject position. The there is followed by an existential verb. After the verb, there is an existential noun phrase. Sometimes there can be a locative or temporal phrase existing within the sentence itself. Typical English existential sentence can be described as there + existential verb+ existential noun phrase (+locative/temporal phrase).
English existential sentences have three major usages:
Firstly, it can state the existence or emergence of things, e.g.
〔1〕There is a cherry tree in my garden.
Secondly, it can describe something having happened, e.g.
〔2〕There was an interesting play in the theatre yesterday afternoon.
Thirdly, it can refer to something that is happening or will happen, e.g.
〔3〕There are a lot of people waiting for the bus to come.
〔4〕If the population keeps growing so quickly, there will be only standing room left for us next century.
2.2 The Properties of English Existential Sentence
English existential sentence has always been the focus of linguistic researches for its peculiar properties, which could be analyzed from the following three aspects.
2.2.1 The Properties of There
There is always an unstressed there occupying the subject position in English existential sentence. Existential-there is different from the adverb there in that it is unstressed and meaningless, while the adverb there is stressed and acts as an indication of place. The existential-there got different names given by different scholars. The fact that the existential there functions as the formal subject of the whole sentence can be seen from the following two aspects.
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