Некоторые специфические моменты значения и употребления степеней сравнения в английском языке

Мы отметим здесь лишь некоторые различия в значении и употреблении степеней сравнения прилагательных и наречий в русском и английском языках. Так, если по-русски мы говорим лучше всех, больше всех, то, говоря по-английски, мы ограничиваемся превосходной степенью наречия, тогда как слово всех подразумевается.

John plays best. Джон играет лучше всех. Дается наивысшая характеристика действия — 'играет наилучшим образом', и при этом уже не нужно соотносить данное лицо с другими лицами. По-русски в этом случае мы употребляем форму сравнительной степени, а абсолютность переносим на сравниваемые лица: лучше всех.

Наоборот, там, где в русском языке мы бы употребили форму превосходной степени, в английском мы употребим форму сравнительной степени.

The two men agreed not to mention the more alarming details when they discussed the situation at home. Оба решили не упоминать наиболее тревожных подробностей, когда они будут обсуждать дома сложившуюся обстановку.

The list tries to highlight the more important factors. Делается попытка осветить в перечне наиболее важные факторы.

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Формы степеней сравнения в английском языке легко субстантивируются, принимая неопределенный или определенный артикль.

Tom is a good dancer. I don't know a better. Том прекрасно танцует. Я не встречал лучшего танцора.

Но, пожалуй, чаще всего подвергается субстантивации форма превосходной степени. Сложились устойчивые сочетания с субстантивированной формой превосходной степени: to do one's best, to be at one's worst, to make the best of it и т. д.

He's only a gentleman caught in a world he doesn't belong in trying to make a poor best of it by the rules of the world that's gone. Просто он джентльмен, попавший в чуждый ему мир и стремящийся по возможности приспособиться к этому миру по канонам мира ушедшего.

Даже причастие может быть поставлено в форму превосходной степени и субстантивировано.

Harriet smiled enigmatically. She was being her most annoying. Гарриет загадочно улыбнулась. То, как она вела себя сейчас, раздражало его больше всего.

Интересно также отметить, что в английском языке с прилагательным в превосходной степени вполне закономерно употребление наречий very, quite, а в аналогичных русских контекстах употребление наречия очень невозможно.

Не is quite the best dancer I know. Он самый лучший танцор, какого я знаю.

She had thick straight hair of the very darkest hue, the real blue-black. У нее были густые невьющиеся волосы темнейшего оттенка, прямо-таки иссиня-черные.

Как видим, усилители very и quite при переводе на русский язык опускаются, так как превосходная степень сама по себе достаточна для выражения наивысшей степени признака или качества, и слово очень оказывается излишним.

Заметим здесь также, что в английском языке вполне возможно употребление наречия very после слова how при прилагательном, причем это сочетание передает значение превосходной степени. По-русски такое употребление исключено (ср.: «как очень..!»).

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How very interesting! Как интересно!

He was startled to see how much of a child she was, and

how very beautiful. Его поразило, сколько в ней еще

детского и как она красива.

Такими же избыточными с точки зрения русского языка являются наречия quite и so в следующих примерах:

You'd better not eat quite so much. Вы бы лучше не ели так много. (букв.: «... так очень много»)

Dr Saunders did not know why the stranger so very much attracted him. Доктор Сондерс не понимал, почему незнакомец так сильно привлекал его. (букв.: «... так очень сильно»)

И совсем уже исключающими друг друга представляются нам a little и too (слишком) в следующей фразе:

Gray was apt to drink a little too much. Грей пил, пожалуй, многовато. (букв.: «...немного слишком много»)

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

I. Переведите следующие предложения на русский язык, обращая особое внимание на перевод препозитивных определений.

1. If I were as young as you are, I'd have a walking holiday. 2. Get me a good crime story. 3. That's the danger moment. 4. Like most shy men he greatly admired airy, vivacious, always-at-ease girls. 5. He had been drinking and wore the arrogant looking-for-a-fight expression that she knew from experience meant trouble. 6. Dr Uxbridge answered the telephone at once in a no-nonsense tone of voice. 7. The hands-off-Ogilvie rule didn't make sense. 8. I sat down beside her and put on my impulsive little-American-girl act. 9. He told the now attentive crowd about how he was going to proceed. 10. Six restaurants ranged from a dining-room with gold-edged china and matching prices to a grab-it-and-run hot dog counter. 11. What excuse could she give for prowling about the house when all the other girls were getting their beauty naps? 12. And Melanie, with a fierce "love-me-love-my-dog" look on her face, made converse with astounded hostesses. 13. He glanced along the wall to the picture of James Calver: the low forehead and the fanatic bent-on-one-

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thing eyes. 14. "You're something of an ideas-man, aren't you?" "Something of. Why?" 15. She hated to abandon the shop as a Tom-watching centre. 16. She had apologised humbly to him on the morning after their how-do-I-know-I-know-you dialogue. 17. So she remained solitary at Gray-hallock except for the now frequent company of Nancy Bow-shott. 18. She lived in exhaustion, unhappiness and muddle as in a now accustomed medium, flopping in it like a creature in the mud. 19. The but too symbolically stripped look which the room had worn as a result of Lindsay's depredations had quite gone. 20. He had come to see Emma, with whom he had previously had a slight party-going acquaintance, in order to ask her help and advice about getting his plays put on. 21. Somewhere we came to a hill of already about and busy red ants. 22. Anti-Marketeers in the constituencies will be pressing those MPs who have not already signed to do so. The hope is to secure a majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party as signatories to the withdrawal motion. 23. Joy, a glad-to-be-alive exhilaration, jolted through me like a jigger of nitrogen. 24. I managed a fast, first-rate job of assembling her going-away belongings. 25. Sometimes I shared her wake-up coffee. 26. I hadn't seen Holly, not really, since our drunken Sunday at Joe Bell's bar. 27. Fanny's peevish architect brother was there, of course. 28. Plump rose-red Fanny had somehow so much made one with her rich art-dealer father and the great family collection that it made no sense even to ask whether Hugh had married her for the pictures. 29. All the officer patients in the ward were forced to censor letters written by the enlisted-men patients.

30. They had a "don't care" appearance that James, to whom risk was the most intolerable thing in life, did not appreciate. They all laughed and teased her about her millionaire friend.

II. Переведите на русский язык, обращая внимание на перевод определений, оканчивающихся на -ed.

1. The shop was a popular greengrocer and fruiterer's, an array of goods set out in the open air and plainly ticketed with their names and prices. 2. He crossed the carpeted floor. 3. The Treasury, the Presidencia, a dentist's, the prison — a low white colonnaded building, and then the steep street down — whichever way you went you came ultimately to water and to river. 4. He began to pray with his brandied tongue. 5. The bar owner served the liquor to customers,

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paying Herbie half the going price of regularly bottled supplies. 6. Meyerheim has a fine gallery on the moneyed side of the Seine and he has an international reputation. 7. Joseph put his gloved fingers to his forehead. 8. The dark downward steps, the ordure against the unwindowed wall, the starving faces. 9. He knew that the tall ribboned officer was the Chief of Police. 10. He lost himself deeply in this fantasy, and did not awaken from it till he found himself carrying the bottles and tins into his still unservanted house. 11. The two, hatted and gloved, seemed to trot with a conscious demureness. 12. Goggled, helmeted and indomitable Robert Redford plays the daredevil pilot. 13. That kind of thing is a parented responsibility, and I'm going to allocate ninety-five per cent of responsibility for spoilt children to parents.

III. Преобразуйте выделенные слова в прилагательные на -ed. Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1. Christine braked and, as the car stopped, a traffic officer in uniform walked forward. 2. His hands with gloves on them encountered a small pile of coins. 3. He stepped into the corridor covered with a carpet. 4. It was a long room with a window at each end, but with heavy curtains. 5. The room had stand-up ledges running along the walls with windows. 6. It was warm among the sacks, in the dark, in the windowless shed. 7. She blinked around and singled out the boy wearing spectacles. 8. In the nineteenth century it had been acquired by a linen manufacturer of vast wealth from County Tyrone, who had given it its present name and a pair of lateral towers with battlements.

IV. Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения со сложнопроизводными прилагательными.

А. 1. It was the best-financed reactionary campaign in history. 2. After a few months the newly-organised union shop went out on strike. 3. They attended the giant meeting of joint action groups which filled Yankee Stadium in 1924 in an industry-wide work stoppage. 4. Your soil was drenched with the blood of the Araucans in their century-long struggle, an unequaled epic of resistance to Spanish conquest. 5. Development of nuclear energy in the United States is hampered by monopoly profiteering, marred by profit-greedy companies which economise on safety precautions. 6. "Our society has become information rich and action poor," he said. 7. Columbia is the second-biggest coffee exporting country in the

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world. 8. The Soviet airline Aeroflot said II-62 jetlines will make twice-weekly flights to the Portuguese capital. 9. A recently-published study called "Women in Top Jobs" examines why this should be so.

Б. 1. The rejection of the Senate of a labour-supported proposal on so-called welfare "reform" was defeated 52-34. 2. So it was, with misgivings yet relentlessly, that he wished to distance himself from her more accusing image, from the cat-hugging Fanny of the patience-cards and the swallows, the last really humanly-present Fanny that he had known. 3. He had also added an ornate grass porch over the steps, a vast mushroom-shaped conservatory, and a red-brick kitchen annexe. 4. Within the house always seemed to Hugh to be both dark and damp, centred around the cold stone-flagged still-room, full of rain-soaked overcoats and rows of muddy Wellingtons. 5. The National Union of Public Employees' leader said he was "extremely disturbed" to see that a union-sponsored Labour MP, Mr Ted Leadbitter, had also opposed the visit. 6. Emma had contrived to give the room an Edwardian look, and appeared in the midst of it, her voluminous nylon dress seeming like transparent muslin, her silver-topped walking-stick half lost in the folds, Edwardian herself. 7. The nearest he could come to his satisfaction was the guilty enjoyment of Lindsay's dry-lipped kisses while Emma's stick tapped slowly across the next room. 8. There is no inflation because the country has a centrally-planned, scientific socialist economy. 9. The New York State Department of Labor has been charged with discrimination against Spanish-speaking unemployment benefit claimants. The Labour-controlled Castle Point District Council was meeting in the small hours of yesterday when a message arrived from Occidental Oil Company's Los Angeles office. The Council has been supporting a bitterly fought campaign by the Castle Point Refinery (нефтеочистительный завод) Resistance Group, which three weeks ago moved the pickets to an Italian-financed refinery which has been the subject of an inquiry. 12. From the reaction in the labour press, it appears that even some of the most conservative sections of the labor movement have become more appreciative of the peace issue, after seeing its influence in the election and in the victory of labor-endorsed candidates from the President down. 13. The voice that came back, welling up from the bottom of the stairs, was silly-young and self-amus-

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ed. 14. On my way home 1 noticed a cab-driver crowd gathered in front of P.J. Clark's saloon, apparently attracted there by a happy group of whiskey-eyed army officers. 15. As April approached May, the open-windowed, warm spring nights were lurid with the party sounds, the loud-playing phonograph and martini laughter that emanated from Apartment 2. 16. "Hello, Doc," she repeated happily, as he lifted her off her feet in a rib-crushing grip. 17. Usually Riley wore a tense, trigger-tempered expression; but now he seemed relaxed. 18. Nodding dreamily, he gazed away from us, above us, his acornlike eyes scanning the sky-fringed, breeze-fooled leaves. 19. Our candle, as though intimidated by the incandescence of the opening, star-stabbed sky, toppled, as we could see, unwrapped above us, a late way-away wintery moon: it was like a slice of snow, near and far creatures called to it, hunched moon-eyed frogs, a claw-voiced wildcat. 20. Languid, banana-boned, she had dour black hair and an apathetic, at moments saintly face. 21. It is they who are playing more and more of a role in this struggle which is part of the world-changing tides of our times. 22. Dr James Colernan chaired a government-sponsored study group which produced the 1965 report "Equality of Educational Opportunity". 23. The Soviet proposed agreement would help to solve the problem of protecting the environment, 24. Both women lived in modest, book-filled apartments. 25. We have about 150 reform-minded members. Then we have about that many old-timers who are dead set against any reforms. 26. "That she has," echoed the ladies in their choir-trained voices. 27. I took myself toward the jail, which is a box-shaped brick building next door to the Ford Motor Company. 28. In after years how often, trailing through the cold rooms of museums, I stopped before such a picture, stood long haunted moments having it recall that gone scene, not as it was, a band of goose-fleshed children dabbling in an autumn creek, but as the painting presented it, husky youths and wading water-diamonded girls. 29. With her kitchen-slopped apron she wiped my face. 30. We surveyed the view from the cemetery hill, and arm in arm descended to the summer-burned, September-burnished field. 31. British-seconded officers flying British-supplied planes and in command of Oman infantry units have been involved in the fighting for years. 32. He worked as a docker, although he had been college-trained in architectural science. 33. Doctor Winter repeated, "Eleven o'clock, and they'll be here then, too.

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A time-minded people, Joseph." 34. After six hours' travelling he came to La Candelaria, which lay, a long tin-roofed village, beside one of the tributaries of the Grijalva River. 35. She had a way of viewing regular-salaried employment as somehow inimical to integrity. 36. Soames could not see that for which Bosinney was waiting as he stood there drinking-in the flower-scented wind. 37. He left in a chauffeur-driven Daimler.

V. В следующих предложениях преобразуйте выделенные словосочетания в сложнопроизводные прилагательные и переведите предложения на русский язык.

1. Не hurried across the square shaded by trees. 2. His hair parted in the middle was still white and thick. 3. The President accused the Congress controlled by the Democrats of failing to meet the need for reform in the US. 4. She paused at the counter with a marble top and picked up her cigarettes and a few matches. 5. The condition of the Arab people in the territories occupied by the Israeli continues to degenerate. The measure passed by the Senate took shape two years ago. The view from there is very fine: the limitless trembling surface of River Woods, fifty unfolding miles of ploughed farmland with wind-mills. 8. His bald freckled head was big, like a dwarf's. 9. But Doc Golightly's proud earnest eyes and hat stained with sweat made me ashamed of such suspicions. 10. A general election is an election throughout a state. 11. This muddy street down which she had driven a thousand times during the war, along which she had fled with ducked head and legs quickened by fear, when shells burst over her during the siege, was so strange looking that she felt like crying. 12. The concrete parking area with a low ceiling was silent and deserted. 13. Behind the man wearing a yellow scarf more passengers with other problems pressed forward urgently. 14. In general the educational system financed by the state is a two-tier one of primary and secondary schools.

VI. Переведите следующие словосочетания.

presidential elections, governmental job, senatorial convention, secretarial duties, ambassadorial car, congressional election, presidential assassination, environmental impact, potential vice-presidential candidate, governmental functions, the dangers of environmental modification for military purposes, architectural job, ambassadorial appointments, senatorial approval, congressional power to impeach, presiden-

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tial appointment of judges, governmental system, secretarial and clerical assistances, congressional majority.

VII. Переведите на русский язык. Обратите особое внимание на перевод выделенных атрибутивных групп.

1. Не was dark of face, swarthy as a pirate. 2. His defects were of the surface, he was generous of heart and kindly towards his fellow men. 3. He faced them all, still mild of face. 4. He knew that despite her absurdities she was frail of temperament, easily wounded. 5. Will was just the same, lank and gangling, pink of hair, mild of eye, patient as a draft animal. 6. There were handsome creatures among them, upright of carriage, with delicate features and small, exquisite hands. 7. He was slangy of speech and pleasantly caustic. 8. Himself an ugly man, insignificant of appearance, he prized very highly comeliness in others. 9. "What did he say?" asked one of the aunts, who was a little hard of hearing. 10. One or two outstanding personalities took her eye. An elderly man, very yellow of face, with a little goatee beard. 11. But to James, uneasy of conscience, her look was as good as an answer. It was an arresting face, pointed of chin, square of jaw. Nineteen years old, six feet two inches tall, long of bone and hard of muscle, they were as much alike as two bolls of cotton. 14. He could be grave of manner and charming when he chose. 15. Frail, fine-boned, so white of skin that her flaming hair seemed to have drawn all the colour from her face, she was nevertheless possessed of exuberant health and untiring energy.

VIII. Переведите на русский язык, обращая особое внимание на перевод атрибутивных групп с of.

1. Perhaps he learned to appreciate what a jewel of a wife he has? 2. Up there, that son-of-a-bitch of a captain is probably crying into his sombrero. 3. Meanwhile, he wished the old cluck of a chairman, Zanetta, would get the hell off his feet so that he, Freemantle, could take over. 4. And then I saw a fellow come in I knew. Big bully of a chap. 5. We had a hell of a fight. 6. I can't tell you how moving it was to see that great bulk of a man uplifted by an emotion so pure and so beautiful. 7. I made a hell of an effort and slipped away. 8. Her mask of a face scowled. 9. She was contemplating an important change in her life and had no interest to spare for these animals oi tourists!

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IX. Переделайте следующие предложения так, чтобы употребить атрибутивную группу с of.

1. The driver, a poor bastard, could freeze out there. 2. What was there to fear in this ruined world but hunger and cold and the loss of home? (wreck) 3. He thought it a very funny joke. (hell) 4. I rather liked that Swede, that old pirate. 5. Pacific right there and rolling in huge white thunderous rollers not forty yards away, under her garden which was like a grassy platform. 6. There was an awful row. (devil) 7. Chris! I've found a worderful chap. (gem)

X. Найдите постпозитивные определения в следующих предложениях. Укажите причину помещения их в постпозиции.

1. The distance between the two boats was slowly increasing. 2. I don't like your idea of going there alone. 3. That mutton last week-end was very tough. 4. It is the most difficult task imaginable. 5. That's the right thing to do. 6. He w as the first to join the party. 7. The students there are a j'olly crowd. 8. Suzanne was not a woman to give way to despair. 9. Then he got a telegram from Sweden to say his father was dying and he must come back at once. 10. It was not till two days later that I got a reply to say that they were starting at once. 11. We'll occupy the room above. 12. That's the only suite available. 13. I found a message from Joseph Elliott's manservant, to tell me that Elliott was ill in bed. 14. John Down called for a halt to the bombings, in an address last week to the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. 15. People here do not shake hands as much as we do in Europe. 16. A brief word may be said regarding the material used. 17. "All the anti-Market activities will be intensified in the days ahead," the statement said. 18. It is evident that the parties concerned do not resort to the use of force as long as the provisions of the disengagement agreement are valid. 19. Though the newspaper has been appearing since 1931, this is the first anniversary to be celebrated in legality. 20. Riley was the first to wake, and he wakened me. 21. Yes, the Grahams were a clan to be reckoned with. 22. Both sides strongly denounced the efforts to divide the African states from the community of socialist countries. 23. The strengthening of detente was among the important matters stressed. 24. We had special problems to deal with. 25. I became the first woman to work in that mine. 26. The only thing political about the office

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was John De Witt Jackson's ambitions. 27. There are two things to remember in any court of justice. 28. They again opposed real efforts to bring peace in Mid-east. 29. This broke the strike, and at the end of ten days the two railroad unions involved had to call it off. 30. I've just had a cable from Tim to say he's postponed his sailing. 31. They affirmed their stand for abolition of the racist regime in South Africa. 32. This country was the latest to renew diplomatic relations with Cuba. 33. He was the only man alive. 34. Scientists are considering the problem of how to use energy released by earthquakes. 35. If I believe in one thing in this world it is tolerance, and above all in things artistic. 36. Why, even since the Post-Impressionists there had been one or two painters not to be sneezed at.

XI. Перестройте следующие предложения таким образом, чтобы сказуемое заняло свое обычное место — после подлежащего. (См. образец.) Переведите их на русский язык.

R eferences which should provide a key to the essential relevant literature are given.

References are given which should provide a key to the essential relevant literature.

1. At last the persons for whom Ashenden had been waiting arrived. 2. The rumours of the activities of the revolutionaries grew hot and many. 3. Vague complaints and hints that the natives found Cooper harsh reached the governor. 4. Steps to incorporate the economies of Mongolia and Cuba more deeply in the international socialist division of labour are now being taken. 5. The promise that the priest had uttered meant little to him. 6. Protests against the detention, torture and trial of over 40 supporters of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa under the notorious Terrorism Act are planned in 16 major cities throughout Britain. 7. It appeared that a water festival of some sort which Featherstone thought would interest me was to take place. 8. Plans for exhibitions, film showings and other cultural events to be held at the Congress were also drawn up. 9. A beginning in the use of chemicales to cause precipitation over drought-stricken fields or over forest fires has been made. 10. But the point of the girl's chin was pressed ever closer into her thigh, and the sound of her sobbing was dreadful. 11. In the present study a general survey of structural changes in cellular com-

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pounds is made. 12. No trace of any relative or friend with whom it was possible to communicate could be found. 13. A subscription to provide champagne at dinner had been collected. 14. An attempt to summarise the results will be made, 15. Nothing of particular interest was said.

XII. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на перевод выделенных слов.

А. 1. Не was on the plump side, and he had a pot belly. 2. Ten years before her frocks had been somewhat on the showy side. 3. She must have been a handsome woman when young, for her features, though on the large side, were good. 4. Close up she became Irma Fliegler again; still pretty, a bit on the stout side, but stout in a way that did not make her unattractive. 5. Harris was wearing a regulation shirt, though it was on the small side, and every now and then Harris's hand would go up to ease the collar. 6. Her tongue slurred here: up to now she had spoken quite plainly, though on the soft side. 7. Too bad she wasn't more photogenic. On the homely side, I thought. 8. Myself, I should never have been a Judge, as such I was too often on the wrong side.

Б. 1. It was a smallish room, with big deep leather chairs of a delicate brown colour. 2. We have lodges in all the biggish places. 3. Near the front of the audience, a youngish man sprang to his feet. 4. "What about that hotel in the market place, Jimmy?" "Might be a bit dearish." 5. Well, if you do, I shall feel I ought to go too, and though I'm tiredish too, I hate to think I'm missing anything. 6. He was beginning to feel wonderlandish again, what with Mr Mensworth and the champagne. 7. The Hairless Mexican was a tall man, and though thinnish gave you the impression of being very powerful. 8. It was a longish ride. 9. I had a sweetish taste in my mouth. 10. I'm a baldish, stoutish gentleman of fifty-two. 11. She had known of many separated wives, living equivocally on smallish incomes, and knew how quickly their friends found them tiresome. 12. He was tallish, very spare.

XIII. Переведите следующие предложения. Обратите внимание на различие в употреблении степеней сравнения в русском и английском языках.

A. I. That was the room that Nancy liked best in all the house. 2. The holiday proved to be one of the happier times that Keith and Natalie had ever known. 3. He changed into

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the Chinese trousers and silk tunic in which he felt most at ease. 4. The findings of the mission include: the desirability of the countries concerned to meet and discuss early how best to initiate further action. 5. In general they went to dine at one of the better restaurants in Montparnasse. 6. But that which 1 liked best is that section of which the artery is the Boulevard du Montparnasse. 7. She congratulated me, somewhat ironically perhaps, on my acquaintance with the more disreputable parts of Paris. 8. Peter crossed to the telephone beside the nearer bed. 9. Among the more important decisions was the resolution on solidarity with that country. 10. My friend Wyman Holt is a professor of English literature in one of the smaller universities of the Middle West. 11. Fortunately, just when things were blackest, the war broke out. 12. "That's it," he said, "you young people, you all stick together; you all think you know best!"

Б. 1. Вот вам все (имеющиеся у нас) купальные костюмы. Выбирайте тот, который вам нравится больше всех. 2. Расскажите нам о наиболее значительных (significant) событиях последних дней. 3. Они все хорошо плавают (хорошие пловцы). Но Гаррис плавает лучше всех. 4. Были упомянуты лишь наиболее важные подробности. 5. Ее жаргон напоминал ему о беднейших кварталах Парижа. 6. Лора и ее мать, миссис Клейтон (Clayton), вдова, жили в одной из лучших гостиниц. 7. Это была выставка работ (show) одного из наиболее прогрессивных (advanced) художников. 8. Они заставляли своих жен и детей регулярно посещать самые модные церкви города.

XIV. Переведите следующие предложения на русский язык. Обратите внимание на субстантивированные прилагательные.

1. Nothing you can possibly do could improve the situation in the slightest. 2. "Is he really a bad musician?" "He is. I haven't heard a worse." 3. There always lurked in the back of her mind the disquieting memory that he had seen her at her worst. 4. I don't like him in the least. 5. Afterwards, when the worst of the emergency was over, he could return to work for the remainder of his shift. 6. He always referred to the soldiers as "our brave boys" or "our heroes in gray" and did it in such a way as to convey the utmost in insult.

7. Each was trying his hardest to read the other's thoughts.

8. In normal circumstances he would have had only one

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thought, which would have been to show himself to Mrs Merle at his most light-hearted, his most urbane. 9. "And I," cried Dorothy, "and I?" She was at her most dangerous. 10. I really did my damnedest.

XV. В следующих предложениях укажите наречия степени, которые представляются избыточными или не совместимыми по смыслу с определяемым словом с точки зрения русского языка.

1. She's quite the best dancer I know. 2. Christine realised suddenly how very tired she was. 3. Think of something not quite so expensive. 4. "Are you staying here?" he asked. "Only for a very few days." 5. Hans and Peter are quite the noisiest boys that I know. 6. But they had come on a very different errand. 7. Al lived then at Gorney's Hotel, which was not quite the worst hotel in Gibbsville. 8. I've talked with her quite a few times. 9. You've spoken a little too much tonight. 10. Isn't it rich to hear her? How very original she is! 11. I want you to give his reports your very best attention. 12. It's a bit too much. 13. Isn't the telephone working? How very trying. 14. She is a darling, he thought, and so very dense. 15. We're Matthew's very oldest friends. 16. She was interested to see how very disagreeable and ill-dressed many of the women visitors seemed. 17. But he had been a little too quick at this point. 18. "How very kind," she murmured. 19. In the end she found herself obliged to give quite a little lecture.

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«ОПРЕДМЕЧИВАНИЕ» СТЕПЕНИ, ПРИЗНАКА И ДЕЙСТВИЯ

Мы уже видели выше, что прилагательное в английском языке может субстантивироваться, т. е. как бы «опредмечиваться». Это явление широко распространено в английском языке. Так, степень в нем также оформляется как материальная частица, в единицах количества: much, as much as, something of, the whole of, none of, a bit of и т. д.

It would be as much of a holiday for her as it would be for him. Для нее это будет таким же праздником, как и для него.

Then he perceived something of the other's hard intention. И тут он как-то почувствовал жестокую решимость этого человека.

Не was not worried about any of that. Его это совершенно не беспокоило.

She had run after him and he would have none of her. Она бегала за ним, а он от нее отказался.

The rest of the students are in the yard. Остальные студенты во дворе.

Не as much as told me not to. Он почти прямо велел мне не делать этого.

Местоимения и местоименные сочетания a few, a little, a good many, a great many могут также служить примером «опредмечивания» степени. Показателем того, что эти слова и словосочетания «опредметились», является стоящий перед ними артикль. Именно неопределенный артикль и обусловил значение этих местоимений: a few, a little немного, некоторое количество (неопределенное) в отличие от few, little — мало (более определенно); a good many, a great many много, большое количество в значении 'несколько' (хотя и много), т. е. опять-таки не совсем определенно, отсюда и неопределенный артикль перед этими местоимениями. Возможно также, что эти последние образовались по аналогии с сочетаниями a good deal, a great deal, a lot of,

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в которых основным элементом являются существительные deal (количество) и lot (группа, масса), т. е. опять-таки материальные частицы, обозначающие степень, количество (подобно much, something и т. п.).

Широкое употребление наречия quite в значении 'очень' и местоимения all в значении 'совсем, совершенно' находится в полном соответствии с обсуждаемым нами явлением оформления степени как материальной частицы.

Mary is quite a popular name. Мэри — очень распространенное имя.

Не forgot all about it. Он совершенно забыл об этом.

She can't be all bad if she wants to help the cause. Она не может быть совсем уж плохой, если хочет помогать нашему делу.

«Опредмечивание» признака проявляется уже в вопросе What do we call a man who is dressed badly?, где употребляется местоимение what, а не how (ср. русское как). Интересно отметить в этой связи, что в английском языке нет собственно вопросительного местоимения какой. Мы задаем вопрос What... like? (букв.: «подобно чему?»). Этот вопрос по существу не качественный, а предметный.

What does he look like? Как он выглядит? Вот еще примеры «опредмечивания» признака.

"Perhaps he is always like that," Robert Jordan thought.

«Может быть, он всегда такой», — подумал Роберт

Джордан. You mustn't say things like that. Ты не должен говорить

подобных вещей.

Специфически английские формы — герундий и отглагольное существительное — представляют собой не что иное, как результат «опредмечивания» действия. Здесь с особой силой проявляется тенденция английского языка к «номинализации», т. е. к употреблению отглагольных имен там, где другие языки, и в частности русский, предпочитают употреблять глаголы.

Bowshott had reported seeing him earlier that morning. Баушотт сообщил, что он видел его до этого утром.

Не hated this familiarity with the servants, he hated everybody knowing that all was not well. Он терпеть не мог этой фамильярности с прислугой, терпеть не мог, чтобы все знали, что происходит что-то неладное.

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Как видим, герундий и обороты с герундием чаще всего передаются на русский язык придаточными предложениями с глаголом в личной форме.

Примером «опредмечивания» действия является и сочетание отглагольного существительного или герундия с глаголом to do, довольно употребительное в речи. Это обычно имеет место в тех случаях, когда у герундия есть какой-либо ограничитель: some, the, a lot of, a bit oi и др. Такой ограничитель усиливает именное значение герундия и придает ему характер определенного занятия. Например:

We do a lot of reading. Мы много читаем.

Let men folk do the thinking. They are so much smarter

than us. Пусть думают мужчины, они ведь гораздо

умнее нас.

Характерные для английского языка устойчивые сочетания типа to take a decision, to make a suggestion, to have a smoke и т. д. также являются примером номинализации, поскольку в них конкретно-лексическое значение действия выражено существительным.

She took a deep breath. This was living. Она глубоко вздохнула. Вот это была жизнь!

All you got to do is dance a little with them and have a few laughs. Все, что от вас требуется, это потанцевать с ними и немного повеселиться.

Не wondered if he were to give Miranda a hard slap one of these days. Он подумывал, не стоит ли ему как-нибудь хорошенько отшлепать Миранду.

Вспомним здесь также сочетание «to be + имя деятеля» (Не is not a great reader), о котором мы говорили в разделе о сказуемом и которое является еще одной иллюстрацией номинализирующей тенденции английского языка.

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

I. Переведите следующие предложения на русский язык, обращая особое внимание на перевод выделенных слов.

1. She wanted him to give up air traffic control; to quit, and choose some other occupation while some of his youth and most of his health remained. 2, The whole of Hungary was occupied by fascists. 3. That was the last he had seen of Golz

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with his strange white face that never tanned. 4. Robert Jordan registered that he was not taking any of the flattery. 5. Elsie, flushed with pride, happiness, and the sweet champagne, and already looking more of a Dulver, was compelled to respond. 6. It would not help the situation any. 7. It wasn't much of a note to mark the end of eighteen years of marriage. 8. And if I so much as mention Ashley's name, he cocks his eyebrow up and smiles that nasty, knowing smile! 9. Something of the chief's contained anger, and a hint of authority, made the lieutenant hesitate. 10. I didn't think you were much of a one for the old ladies. 11. Having had enough of London for a while, I set off for Tyrol. 12. We saw a lot of one another that year. 13. For the second time in this room tonight he exhibited nothing of kindness. 14. He was too busy to leave Chicago much. 15. Anyhow I've never minded if people thought me a bit of a fool. 16. "Well, what's the news?" "Oh, he's dead." "I thought as much." 17. It would be absurd for him to marry so much beneath him. 18. But you know, I'm not much of a one for believing in miracles. 19. No one could be more of a stranger to her than Ashenden. 20. Peewee has hardly so much as mentioned you. 21. Fanny Peronett was dead. That much her husband Hugh Peronett was certain of as he stood in the rain beside the grave. 22. Mrs Linsell showed all that was possible of her very pretty legs. 23. He felt that he could not go on being polite to her any longer and if the doctor's remedy did not help, one day he would forget himself and give her, not a piece, but the whole of his mind. 24. I'm a bit of a reader myself. 25. It gave me something of a shock to realise that in England far, far the greater number of these men would have suffered capital punishment. I dare say you see a good deal of my daughter-in-law. June had hardly been at home at all that week; she had given him nothing of her company for a long time past. 28. To old Jolyon it seemed that his son had grown. "More of a man altogether," was his comment.

II. Замените выделенные слова данными в скобках словами, используя предлог of.

1. I think we shall often see one another in the future. (a great deal) 2. I don't like it at all. (any) 3. I want to know you better. (more) 4. She looked into the pleading brown eyes and did not see the beauty of a shy boy's first love. (none) 5. There are some who'd say it isn't a suitable pastime for a grown man. (much) 6. "A small fellow — too delicate for

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rough me," he said. (a little bit) 7. Here he was, taking her out, kissing her good night, seeing her often and then not seeing her at all. (a lot) 8. Keith and Vernon saw each other rarely. (little) 9. "Not a strong animal, is it?" grinned Rhett. "Looks like he'll die in the shafts." (much) 10. Vernon Demerest was enjoying his passive role tonight — having someone else do almost the entire work, yet not relinquishing his own authority at all. (most, none) 11. A part of the hostility directed at Mel earlier was now being transferred towards the lawyer. (some)

III. Переведите на английский язык, используя для перевода выделенных слов конструкцию с of,

1. Мне это совсем не нравится. 2. Мы часто виделись в прошлом году. 3. Так я и думала! 4. Это нам совсем не поможет. 5. Он был против нашего плана и так и сказал. 6. Это дело займет большую часть завтрашнего дня. 7. Стоит мне только намекнуть на это, как он хмурится и выходит из комнаты. 8. Она была так расстроена, что совсем не замечала красоты летнего утра. 9. Не больно-то роскошный подарок! 10. Возможно, она все-таки виделась с ним иногда. 11. Долли была неважной портнихой (seamstress).

IV. Определите синтаксическую функцию сочетаний like this, like that в следующих предложениях. Переведите их на русский язык.

1. You mustn't go about looking like this. 2. You can't stay indoors on a day like this. 3. I saw some delightful boxes of beauty aids in one of the shops last week. Lip-stick, face powder, a small mirror, things like that. 4. You oughtn't to behave like this. 5. I'm sorry to see you like this. 6. "It's not the Ritz," he said, "but at this hour of the night it's only in a place like this that we stand a chance of getting something to eat." 7. What have I got to offer a girl like that? 8. And to think that after all the trouble he's given me he had to end up like that. 9. He had seen his son like that before.

V. Переведите следующие предложения с герундием или отглагольным существительным.

1. Randall was not surprised at seeing Emma. 2. All the same he was deeply grateful to Ann, grateful to her for having insisted on having Fanny at Grayhallock, for having insisted on nursing Fanny. 3. I hope Randall won't mind our deciding things without him. 4. "I suppose he hasn't changed his view

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about coming to Seton Blaise?" said Hugh. 5. She stopped her folding and went on. 6. Since his arrival in April he had been simply hanging round the house, helping Ann with the washing up, running errands for whoever was looking after Fanny. 7. I had approved of Verena hiring her. 8. But it was an unpleasant, even distinctly alarming, prospect and he had put off doing so. 9. In the last few years he had taken to spending more and more time in London. . 10. Hugh had avoided speaking seriously to his son about his treatment on Ann. 11. Mildred, with her long tolerance of Humphrey and her skill in defending him, was surely not a censorious woman. 12. This falling in love was, he felt, the best thing he had ever done. 13. Emma joined with Randall in flattering Lindsay, and with Lindsay in teasing Randall. 14. Your asking me to come to India put me, in a way, up against it. 15. He hated our finding her there. 16. I should swallow him without his even noticing it. 17. She denied having written anything of the sort. 18. Do think seriously about coming to Seton. 19. He feared and detested the idea of Emma's visiting Grayhallock in his absence or indeed at all. 20. She never became resigned to not winning. 21. Instead of struggling one against the other, instead of avoiding, they should unite. 22. Her face was agreeable without being handsome. 23. The previous autumn, after having been left back in the eighth grade three years running, Mule had joined the Navy. 24. He just couldn't tolerate always being left behind in the eighth grade, him getting so tall and the other children so little. 25. Pretending an interest gave me sufficiently private opportunity for sizing Holly's friends.

VI. Переведите следующие предложения, обращая особое внимание на перевод выделенных словосочетаний.

1. It struck her that she had been doing all the talking and that Larry had had no chance to do more than listen. 2. Just shut up and let me do the teaching of ancient history in this class. 3. If that's the way you feel, maybe you should do some checking. 4. Because he had been cautioned to do only local flying in an area northwest of Baltimore, no flight plan had been filed. 5. The man in the middle is a Frenchman who has done a lot of climbing in the Pyrenees. 6. The bell-boy grinned at Christine. "Doing a bit of detectiving, Miss Francis?" 7. "Get in and do the talking on the way," he said. 8. She and her two daughters, both of them middle-aged, did the cooking and the housework. 9. Even if he could fire the chief

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house detective, McDermott thought, he would do some hell raising in the morning. 10. We can do our shopping before lunch. 11. They had a gin and a tonic, Ashe doing most of the talking. 12. "Suppose you were asked now, though?" "Depends on who did the asking." "I'm doing the asking" 13. Ashenden went to the market about nine when the housewives of Geneva for the most part had done their provisioning. 14. In your place I'd leave the General do most of the talking. 15. Go along and do your packing. 16. He intended to do no more roof-climbing that night. 17. He's done most of the casting. 18. I do a little teaching here. 19. "Well, somebody's got to do some scheming," said Mildred. 20. "IV/ do some thinking about what you just said, Bessie," he promised without enthusiasm. 21. Amos, who does a little of travelling now and then, claimed to have seen her once at a fair in Bottle. 22. Freddie did a bit of gasping. He was a good deal on the nonplused side. 23. "I must be going," said old Bodsham. "I have some thinking to do." 24. I should have some very awkward explaining to do.

VII. Переведите следующие предложения. Замените выделенные словосочетания глаголами с конкретно-лексическим значением и сделайте другие соответствующие изменения там, где это необходимо.

1. The Tamil had been grossly insolent to him and Saffary had given him a thrashing. 2. When they chanced to meet she always gave him a friendly smile. 3. We're trying to get some sleep. 4. Saffary gave a harassed glance at the papers on the desk. 5. Suddenly she gave a piercing cry and fell headlong on the floor. 6. He took a step towards her and stopped. 7. He gave his hands a glance. 8. She gave a slight start. 9. He gave a gasp. 10. He gave her a pitiful look. 11. His voice broke and he gave a little sob. 12. She gave him a little bow, silently, and walked past him out of the room. 13. He made no further reference to the scene. 14. But Gallagher's appearance gave Mrs Hamlyn a shock. 15. I'm afraid there's no use in our making a promise we shouldn't be able to keep. 16. Gallagher gave a sigh of relief. 17. The captain sent for me yesterday. He gave me a rare talking to. 18. Pryce gave her a searching look. 19. Mrs Hamlyn passed Pryce on the deck, but he gave her a brief greeting and walked on. 20. She gave him a sharp look. 21. I wanted to have a good think. 22. Lord Kastellan gave me a nod. 23. He's a damned powerful man even now. By George, I had a struggle with him. 24. There was something about him that gave her a funny little feeling in the pit of

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her stomach. 25. There was something so attractive in him that she couldn't bring herself to give him a saucy answer. 26. Mrs Towler gave me an angry frown. 27. You gave me such a fright. 28. Mrs Carter gave a gasp of horror. 29. Then an idea occurred to him and he gave her a piercing glance. 30. He only did it because he wanted to give me a good time. 31. He gave another grunt. 32. She had a proper laugh over this. 33. He lifted the cat on the toe of his shoe and gave him a toss. 34. The captain gave a great bang on the table with his fist. 35. He gave a loud shout. 36. During the next few days he looked at the house whenever he passed it, but never caught a glimpse of the girl. 37. Appleby heaved an immense sigh of relief. 38. You can have a little talk and then if you do not like the look of her you take your leave and no harm is done. 39. She shot a swift glance at him. 40. He poured himself out a little, added some soda, and took a sip. 41. He gave me a smiling look of his soft eyes. 42. "Had a nice swim?" he asked. 43. I stole a glance at him. 44. Two or three days later my friend and I were taking a walk. 45. Captain Bredon took a look at him first and went up. 46. Mr Warburton gave him a little nod of dismissal. 47. The man gave his shoulders a scornful shrug. 48. Then he would have a good sleep.

VIII. В следующих предложениях преобразуйте выделенные словосочетания в сочетания «глагол + существительное (с соответствующим прилагательным)» (см. предыдущее упражнение).

1. The skipper chuckled cynically. 2. He smiled whimsically. 3. He sipped a little of whisky. 4. Neilson stopped talking and sighed faintly. 5. The Swede looked at him with hatred. (to shoot) 6. The mutual attraction of those two young things delighted him enormously. 7. She glanced indifferently at the man who was sitting in the chair by the window and went out of the room. 8. The skipper's face puckered and he chuckled cunningly. 9. The lawyer smiled politely. 10. Mr Warburton glanced carelessly at the menu. 11. Cooper laughed harshly. 12. The director smiled shrewdly at me. 13. Assunta comes down to chat with me now and then. 14. But he looked at Neil curiously. 15. The man held out his hand and looked at Neil appraisingly. 16. He started slightly and looked at her to see if she was serious. 17. The worst of it was that you couldn't hint her. 18. Cooper chuckled contemptuously. 19. Mr War-burton glanced sharply at him. 20. The man shrugged his shoulders angrily.