標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)的使用是一門藝術(shù),它使文字組成縮寫,從句和句子。不幸的是,一些標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)怎樣使用并不十分清楚。下面讓我們來看幾個(gè)常用的標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào),雖然它們很受歡迎但是使用起來卻十分令人困惑。

1. Possessive apostrophes
名詞所有格符號(hào)

名詞所有格符號(hào)是很難,它以幾種不同的方式放在單詞后邊。那么,我們到底該怎樣去使用它呢?

Let’s start simple. For a singular noun, such as dog, you add an apostrophe plus s to the end: The dog’s collar was covered in mud.
我們這里從發(fā)一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的例子開始。對(duì)于一個(gè)單數(shù)名詞而言,例如dog,應(yīng)該在dog后加上名詞所有格符號(hào)和字母s:那只狗的項(xiàng)圈被埋在了土里。

For a plural noun, such as elephants, you add an apostrophe to the end: The elephants’ parade was stoped by rain.
對(duì)于復(fù)數(shù)名詞而言,例如elephants,應(yīng)該在elephants后加上名詞所有格符號(hào):大象的隊(duì)伍因大雨而停止前進(jìn)。

For a plural noun that doesn’t end with s, you add an apostrophe plus s to the end: The children’s party went on as planned.
對(duì)于不以s結(jié)尾的復(fù)數(shù)名詞,應(yīng)該在蓋茨后面加上名詞所有格符號(hào)和s:孩子們的聚會(huì)如期進(jìn)行。

The place it gets tricky is with personal names, such as Charles and Ulysses, which already end in an s sound. In those cases, you generally add an apostrophe plus?s?if you naturally?pronounce an extra?s?when you say the word out loud: Charles’s new tie is fantastic. If you don’t pronounce an extra s when you say the word, then leave it out: Ulysses’ presentation is set for Monday.
人名后面名詞所有格符號(hào)的位置可能會(huì)令人困惑,例如:以s結(jié)尾的Charles和Ulysses。在這種情況下,當(dāng)你大聲發(fā)音的時(shí)候,如果你額外發(fā)s音,應(yīng)該在名詞所有格符號(hào)后加上s:查理斯的新領(lǐng)帶漂亮極了。如果當(dāng)你讀這個(gè)詞的時(shí)候,s不發(fā)音,那么名詞所有格后面的s省略:尤里西斯的演講定于周一。

2. Semicolons
分號(hào)

The central task of the semicolon?is to mark a break that is stronger than a?comma?but not as final as a period or?full stop. That sounds easy enough, but it can be hard to tell when you should be linking two clauses with a semicolon rather than simply separating them into two sentences.
分號(hào)的主要作用就是標(biāo)志著停頓,分號(hào)所表示的停頓比逗號(hào)所表示的停頓更加強(qiáng)烈,但是不是作為一個(gè)句號(hào)來結(jié)束句子。這聽起來很簡(jiǎn)單,但是當(dāng)你使用分號(hào)連接兩個(gè)從句而不是僅僅把它們分成兩個(gè)句子的時(shí)候,情況就變得復(fù)雜了。

Typically, you want to use a semicolon when two main clauses balance each other and are too closely linked to be made into separate sentences, as in these two examples:
很明顯,當(dāng)兩個(gè)從句彼此平衡聯(lián)系緊密不能夠被分成兩個(gè)獨(dú)立的句子的時(shí)候,你就應(yīng)該使用分號(hào)了。就像這兩個(gè)例子:

The road runs through a beautiful?wooded?valley; the railway line follows it.
這條路穿過一條樹木繁茂的山谷;鐵路線緊隨這條山谷。

Erik did not give me your keys; he gave me mine.
艾瑞克不給我你的鑰匙;他把我的鑰匙給我了。

You can also use a semicolon to mark a stronger division in a sentence that already has commas: The study showed the following: 76% of surveyed firms monitor employee Web-surfing activities, with 65% blocking access to?unauthorized?Internet locations; over one-third of the firms monitor employee computer keystrokes; half reported storing and reviewing employee emails; 57% monitor employee telephone conduct, including the inappropriate?use of voicemail.
你可以使用分號(hào)在一個(gè)有逗號(hào)的句子里表示一個(gè)更加強(qiáng)烈的停頓:調(diào)查顯示如下:76%受調(diào)查的公司監(jiān)督員工上網(wǎng)活動(dòng),65%會(huì)阻礙不合法的網(wǎng)址;超過三分之一的公司對(duì)員工進(jìn)行鍵盤監(jiān)聽;據(jù)報(bào)告一半的公司還會(huì)存儲(chǔ)并檢查員工的email;57%的公司會(huì)對(duì)員工進(jìn)行電話監(jiān)聽,包括對(duì)語音信箱的不合理使用。

3. Colons
冒號(hào)

The best way to differentiate the colon from the semicolon is that where the semicolon provides a strong division in a sentence, the colon provides a sense of forward motion.
最好區(qū)分冒號(hào)和分號(hào)的該方式就是看他們的位置,分號(hào)在句中提供一個(gè)強(qiáng)烈的停頓,冒號(hào)在句中提供一種進(jìn)一步的解釋。

There are three main uses of the colon:
分號(hào)主要有三種用法:

Between two main clauses in cases where the second clause explains or follows from the first, e.g.?That is the secret to winning the game: have some patience.
在兩個(gè)從句之間,第二個(gè)句子解釋或者緊隨第一個(gè)句子。例如,這是贏得比賽的秘訣:要有耐心。

Introducing a list, e.g.?The film was criticized for several reasons:?a weak script, stiff acting, and?poor special effects.
介紹一個(gè)清單。例如,這部電影由于幾個(gè)原因而受到批評(píng):一個(gè)疲軟的劇本,僵硬的表演以及較差的表演效果。

Before a quotation, and sometimes direction speech, e.g. The poster read: Show is on 4 April’.
在一句引用前面,有時(shí)候在直接引語前面。例如,海報(bào)上寫著:節(jié)目于四月四號(hào)上映。

4. Hyphens
連字符

The principal purpose of the hyphen is linking words and parts of words. This means that it appears in a wide variety of situations, linking all types of words. Rather than pick out all of the possible appearances of the hyphen in everyday writing, we will focus on one that people frequently get wrong: compound adjectives.
連字符的主要用法是連接詞與詞或者一部分詞。這意味著連字符出現(xiàn)在很多情況下,連接各種各樣的詞。不是在日常的寫作中找到所有的連字符,而是集中精力在那些人們頻繁出錯(cuò)的地方:復(fù)合形容詞。

Compound adjectives are made up of a noun + an adjective, a noun + a participle, or an adjective + a participle. Many compound adjectives should be hyphenated. For example,warm-hearted.
復(fù)合形容詞由名詞+形容詞,名詞+分詞或者形容詞+分詞組成。許多復(fù)合形容詞由連字符連接。例如,熱心的。

Compound adjectives get tricky once a phrase or the word well gets involved. In these cases, up-to-date and well-known, for instance, you should use a hyphen when the compound comes before the noun (up-to-date security system and well-known chiropractor), but not when the compound comes after (this software is up to date and this chimpanzee is well known). Similarly, centuries should be hyphenated when used as adjectives (She is one of the best twentieth-century writers) but not when used as a noun (These paintings date from the seventeenth century).
當(dāng)涉及到短語和字詞的時(shí)候復(fù)合形容詞就變得復(fù)雜起來。例如,在這些例子里,up-to-date和well-known,當(dāng)復(fù)合詞用于名詞之前要使用連字符(現(xiàn)代化的安全系統(tǒng)和著名的脊骨神經(jīng)科醫(yī)生),但是當(dāng)復(fù)合形容詞用于名詞后就不能使用連字符了(這個(gè)軟件是現(xiàn)代化的,這個(gè)大猩猩十分有名)。同理,centuries用作形容詞時(shí)要使用連字符(她是20世紀(jì)最好的作家之一),但是centuries用作名詞的時(shí)候,不能使用連字符(這些畫可以追溯至17世紀(jì))。

5. Dashes
破折號(hào)

The hyphen’s slightly longer cousin, the dash is another popular punctuation mark that not everyone is sure how to use.
把連字符加長(zhǎng)一點(diǎn)就是破折號(hào),破折號(hào)也是一種十分受歡迎的標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào),但不是每一個(gè)人都知道怎樣使用。

In formal writing, the dash is used to mark off information or ideas that are not essential to an understanding of the rest of the sentence. For example, you might see: Once I have a free afternoon — I’ve been quite busy — I will meet you for lunch.
在正式的寫作中,破折號(hào)用來劃分信息和意見,而這些信息和意見對(duì)于理解句子不是很重要。例如,一旦我下午有時(shí)間—我一直很忙— 我就會(huì)和你吃午飯。

Even though dashes are?common in informal writing, such as?personal?emails or?blogs, it’s best to use them?sparingly when writing formally.
即使破折號(hào)在非正式的寫作中也很常見,如個(gè)人郵件和微博,當(dāng)正式寫作的時(shí)候最好偶爾使用破折號(hào)。

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