英語講義【24】間接引語的錯誤
在英語里，我們可以用兩種方法轉述人的話語。第一種是直接引語（The Direct Speech）；第二種是間接引語（The Indirect Speech），也可叫The Reported Speech）。
從直接引語轉變為間接引語是一種表達行式的改變，不影響原意。例如：
① a. He said, I am working now.
b. He said that he was working then.
② a. She asked me, Do you like to sing?
b. She asked me if I liked to sing.
③ a. Go out! the man said to the boy.
b. The man ordered the boy to go out.
①b, ②b, ③b是間接引語，其形式和①a, ②a, ③a不同。
間接引語是種常見的句法，用得很多。正因為用得多，出錯的機會也多。下面便是些例子：
④ He said that he would come tomorrow.
這里的副詞tomorrow要變成the next day。理由是：間接引語里的時間副詞或短語， 一般上要把其中的時間向前推，如： tomorrow: the next day; today: that day; last night: the night before; now: then; ago: before that time 等。
⑤ I asked what is wrong with him.
這里的is要變成was。須知：主句I asked和分句 what is wrong with him的動詞時態必須配合。既然主句的動詞 asked是過去時態，分句的動詞也要過去時態was。此外，動詞時態一般上也要推前，因此簡單過去時態（Simple Past Tense）要變成過去完成時態（Past Perfect Tense），如：went : had gone; left : had left.
⑥ John told her dont do that again.
這里的dont do要變成not to do才對。理由是：祈使句變成間接引語時的形式是不定式動詞：to + verb / not to + verb，如：to come / not to come; to do / not to do.
⑦ She asked me where was I going.
這里的was I詞序不對， 要變成I was才是，因為間接疑問句（indirect question）里的詞序和敘述句一樣，是正常詞序，不是倒裝法，如：
⑧ He wanted to know who that girl was.
⑨ John asked Helen if she was free.
⑩ She asked me whether I could help her.
如果詞序是倒裝形式，就錯了：
*who was that girl.
*if was she free.
*whether could I help her.
關于間接疑問句，還有一點必須注意的是，直接疑問句里的疑問詞要照用， 如例⑧的who。如果沒有疑問詞，就要借重連接詞 if或 whether之助，如例⑨和⑩便是。
在結束本文之前，順便提一提怎樣把表示驚嘆或愿望的直接引語轉成間接引語。
11. He said, Alas! I am undone.
12. Bravo! You have done a good job, Mary, said the teacher.
13. Good Heaven! Tom cried, ll never lie again.
把11-13，轉變為14-16時， 可以用恰當的動詞把深層的意思反映出來，甚至加些原文沒有的字眼，也無所謂：
14. He exclaimed that he was undone.
15. The teacher praised Mary, saying that she had done a good job.
16. Tom called upon Heaven to witness his determination not to lie again.
在英語里，我們可以用兩種方法轉述人的話語。第一種是直接引語（The Direct Speech）；第二種是間接引語（The Indirect Speech），也可叫The Reported Speech）。
從直接引語轉變為間接引語是一種表達行式的改變，不影響原意。例如：
① a. He said, I am working now.
b. He said that he was working then.
② a. She asked me, Do you like to sing?
b. She asked me if I liked to sing.
③ a. Go out! the man said to the boy.
b. The man ordered the boy to go out.
①b, ②b, ③b是間接引語，其形式和①a, ②a, ③a不同。
間接引語是種常見的句法，用得很多。正因為用得多，出錯的機會也多。下面便是些例子：
④ He said that he would come tomorrow.
這里的副詞tomorrow要變成the next day。理由是：間接引語里的時間副詞或短語， 一般上要把其中的時間向前推，如： tomorrow: the next day; today: that day; last night: the night before; now: then; ago: before that time 等。
⑤ I asked what is wrong with him.
這里的is要變成was。須知：主句I asked和分句 what is wrong with him的動詞時態必須配合。既然主句的動詞 asked是過去時態，分句的動詞也要過去時態was。此外，動詞時態一般上也要推前，因此簡單過去時態（Simple Past Tense）要變成過去完成時態（Past Perfect Tense），如：went : had gone; left : had left.
⑥ John told her dont do that again.
這里的dont do要變成not to do才對。理由是：祈使句變成間接引語時的形式是不定式動詞：to + verb / not to + verb，如：to come / not to come; to do / not to do.
⑦ She asked me where was I going.
這里的was I詞序不對， 要變成I was才是，因為間接疑問句（indirect question）里的詞序和敘述句一樣，是正常詞序，不是倒裝法，如：
⑧ He wanted to know who that girl was.
⑨ John asked Helen if she was free.
⑩ She asked me whether I could help her.
如果詞序是倒裝形式，就錯了：
*who was that girl.
*if was she free.
*whether could I help her.
關于間接疑問句，還有一點必須注意的是，直接疑問句里的疑問詞要照用， 如例⑧的who。如果沒有疑問詞，就要借重連接詞 if或 whether之助，如例⑨和⑩便是。
在結束本文之前，順便提一提怎樣把表示驚嘆或愿望的直接引語轉成間接引語。
11. He said, Alas! I am undone.
12. Bravo! You have done a good job, Mary, said the teacher.
13. Good Heaven! Tom cried, ll never lie again.
把11-13，轉變為14-16時， 可以用恰當的動詞把深層的意思反映出來，甚至加些原文沒有的字眼，也無所謂：
14. He exclaimed that he was undone.
15. The teacher praised Mary, saying that she had done a good job.
16. Tom called upon Heaven to witness his determination not to lie again.
