waters

2016/04/14 08:41:17 網誌分類: 生活

14 Apr

         I recently explained the expression “still waters run deep.” This proverb describes people who say very little but actually know a lot and are very intelligent. A reader now wants to know why this proverb uses the uncountable noun “water” in the plural. It is an interesting question. Uncountable nouns such as hair, cheese, and sand are normally used in the singular but some can be used in the plural. The uncountable noun “water” is normally used in the singular. For example, you would say “the water in the swimming pool is dirty” or you can say “there is a lot of water in the South China Sea”.

        　　The word “water” is used in the plural when referring to a lake, ocean or sea. You can say “the waters of the South China Sea contain many natural resources”. Or you can say “the US says it has the right to sail in international waters, including the South China Sea, even though China says it owns the South China Sea”. If flooding from a typhoon caused a lot of damage, you can say “the flood waters destroyed many villages”. You can say “it is impossible to swim in the Arctic Ocean because the water is too cold” but you would have to say “there are many icebergs in the waters of the Arctic Ocean”. It takes practice to tell the difference between “water” and “waters” for people whose first language is not English.

        　　Another reader asked me to explain the expression “stop short of” doing something. There are several ways of using this expression. If you stop short of doing something, it means you decide at the last minute not to do it. For example, you can say “I stopped short of telling him he is balding”. The expression also means to not go as far as you can. For example, you can say “the judge stopped short of jailing the rioter even though the law allowed him to do so”. Or you can say “the US considers the South China Sea to be international waters but has stopped short of going to war with China over the issue”.

         我最近解釋過習語“still waters run deep”，這個諺語是形容人大智若愚，話少的人其實知識淵博，也很有才智。一位讀者想知道為何這個諺語將不可數名詞water寫為眾數。這是個挺有趣的問題。不可數名詞如hair、cheese和sand等，通常都是單數，但有些也能作眾數用。不可數名詞water平常都以單數出現，譬如，你可以說“the water in the swimming pool is dirty”，或你可以說“there is a lot of water in the South China Sea”。

        　　Water以眾數出現時，是指湖泊、海洋和海。你可以說「在南海的水域（the waters of the South China Sea）蘊藏許多天然資源。」又或者，你可以說「美國說他們有權於國際水域（international waters）上航行，包括南中國海，即使中國認為她擁有南海。」若颱風帶來的水災造成很大的損害，你可以說：「洪水（the flood waters）摧毀許多村莊。」你也可以說「我們不可能在北冰洋游泳，因為那兒的水（water）太冷了。」但你得說：「在北冰洋的海域（the waters of the Arctic Ocean）有許多冰山。」對於母語非英語的人來說，要多練習才能分辨得到“water”與“waters”。

        　　另一位讀者想我解釋一下習語“stop short of” doing something。這個習語有幾種用法，若你stop short of doing something，即是說你差一點就要做了，但最後關頭沒做。譬如，你可以說：「我險些就要告訴他（stopped short of telling him），他的頭開始變禿了。」這個習語也指，你決定適可而止，不去有風使盡?。譬如，你可以說：「法官並未（stopped short of）重判那暴徒入獄，即使法律賦予他這個權利。」你也可以說：「美國將南中國海視為國際水域，但還是決定不要（stopped short of）為了這個議題與中國開戰了。」

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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