英语中的插入语

您好，His friend is Tamsin Clark, owner of Tenderbooks, which opened in 2014 in Covent Garden, a lively neighborhood packed with theatres. 这个句子中的 owner of Tenderbooks 和 a lively neighborhood packed with theaters 应该不做（插入语），而是作（同位语）。1）owner of Tenderbooks 作表语 Tamsin Clark 的（同位语）2）a lively neighborhood packed with theaters 作定语从句中地点状语 Covent Garden 的（同位语）同位语通常可以用（并列连词）连接，也就是两个句子使用（同位语）结构连接在一起，单独使用时，句子结构符合语法结构，比如：1）His friend is Tamsin Clark.His friend is the owner of Tenderbooks.同位语：His friend is Tamsin Clark, owner of Tenderbooks同位语：His friend is the owner of Tenderbooks, Tamsin Clark同位语：Tamsin Clark = the owner of Tenderbooks2）... which opened in 2014 in Covent Garden.... which opened in 2014 in a lively neighborhood packed with theaters.同位语：which opened in 2014 in Covent Garden, a lively neighborhood packed with theaters.这里的同为通常不会反过来用，因为 a lively neighborhood packed with theaters 较长，会导致 Covent Garden 和 a lively neighborhood 的距离较远同位语：Covent Garden = a lively neighborhood这个就是同位语的使用方法和逻辑。而插入语，通常可以是一个单词，或是短语，或是句子在句中无法用比如主谓宾定状补等语法结构解释，但又必须按个名分的。比如：单词：Indeed, this is a good idea.（这里的 Indeed 是副词充当插入语，也可以看作是状语，但无法用常用的比如时间、地点、结果、原因等常用的11种状语结构解释，而为了方便，通常就会被列入到插入语范畴了）短语：The only thing I can help you how, of course, is my advice.（这里的 of course 是介词短语充当插入语，理由如上，无法使用现有的语法结构解释，为了方便，通常就会被列入到插入语范畴）句子：What's more, I can post these letters for you.（这里的 what's more 是一个完整的句子，理由如上）所以插入语通常用于口语较多，也就是为了加强语气；插入语通常前后都有逗号，或是括号，删除了插入语对于主句的结构不产生任何的变化，对于语义的影响也非常的小。

我一直很留意象形文字思维与拉丁字母思维表现在文字上的差异。象形文字思维好像呈连续直线型，而拉丁字母思维则呈扩散点状型。最典型的例子，就是英语句子中经常会出现插入语(Parenthesis)，把本来很连贯的句子意群切断，例如：The first thing a right-minded girl must do, if only for a second, is take a look around her.Seedpods are furtively placed into our bedrooms while we sleep, and the next thing we know, we’re craving feminine-hygiene deodorant and Hamburger helper.在中文里，这种现象比较罕见。汉语也有插入语，但大多出现在句首或句末，不会把完整的句子拦腰切断。例如：不好意思，我来晚了。你的确来晚了，我必须说。当然，这种出现在句首的插入语，也经常出现在英语句子中：Before we know it, acquaintances will shun us on the street.To some extent, the selection of the quotations represents the personal opinions of the compiler.但更经常出现的，还是那种切断句子的插入语：But things, as they will, went sour.We cannot, as much as I think it is right and just that we should, have our cakes and eat them too.I really was, unbeknown to myself, deeply despondent.She accused me, in no uncertain terms, of chewing her ear off.You, and you alone, know that he is the most intriguing man on earth.Some girls are, no kidding around, sophisticated.Colombo’s All-Time Great Canadian Quotations is, as its title states, the compiler’s selection of the great or essential quotations connected with Canada.英语这种插入语的应用，显示了一种思维的点状跳跃，作为言犹未尽的一种补充，让本来的句子无法表达的额外意思借机表达出来。有意思的是，它不仅没有破坏原句子的思路，反而显出一种活跃灵动的脑力活动。反之，汉语句子的表达趋向一气呵成首尾连贯，比较不习惯在表达一个内容的句子同时，突然半路杀出个程咬金，把话题扯开，再拉回来。了解中英文插入语的使用习惯，不仅有助于英语复杂句式的阅读理解，若使用得当，这种插入语可以让你的英文显得更为地道。