一、主谓语应在人称和数上保持一致
汉语的谓语无人称和数的变化,而英语的谓语有人称和数的变化,其单复数和人称要视主语来定。
1. 乡镇企业的繁荣是我国农村改革的必然产物。
The prosperity of township enterprises is the inevitable outcome of the economic reform in the rural areas.
(原句主语“繁荣”译成英语是prosperity,该英语单词为不可数名词,其语义抽象,常用单数形式,故此处谓语动词用单数is。)
2. 当前,我国的职业教育和成人教育正在加快发展。
Vocational education and adult education are being pushed on now energetically in our country.
(原文主语是“职业教育和成人教育”,译成英语为“vocational education and adult education"。由and连接的两个并列成分作主语一般被视为复数,因此,该句选用动词的复数形式 are being pushed on。)
3. 你我和其他任何人都没看见。
Neither you nor I nor anybody else has seen it.
(neither...nor...为主语时,谓语动词须与nor之后的名词或代词保持广致;因此在这句话中,虽然主语提到“你、我、任何人”,但谓语动词仍是单数has seen。Either…or…后面连接主语时,动词也要与最近的主语一致。“不是你错就是我错”译作:Either you are or I am wrong. )
