英文和中文的重大差异之一,是后者非常重视行文的逻辑。所以句子之间常常需要承上启下的「此外」加以连接。但写来写去如果只想到besides,也不免让人兴起摔笔(或摔电脑)词穷的叹息。下面介绍几个「此外」的进阶用法,派上用场时会让native speakers印象深刻!
我们先看看大家耳熟能详的besides。
1. besides (adv.)
besides是台湾学生最熟悉的「此外」用字。由于不少人对这个字很熟悉,因此使用上常常掉以轻心。连不少英文优秀的专业人士也常常掉入besides的陷阱!
陷阱1:besides vs beside
很多人常常把这两个只有1个s之差的英文字搞混。首先,besides可以当副词和介系词用,而beside是介系词,是「在旁边」的意思。
I was so lucky! Hugh Jackman sat beside me on the plane to Sydney!
我超幸运!在搭往澳洲的班机上,休杰克曼竟然坐在我旁边!
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陷阱2:besides的用法
(1) besides是副词,所以放在句首和句中的方式略有不同。
我们来看看Cobuild字典的例句。
The house was too expensive and too big. Besides, I’d grown fond of our little rented house.
这房子太贵也太大。此外,我渐渐喜欢上我们租的小屋。
这个句子也可以改成:
The house was too expensive and too big; besides, I’d grown fond of our little rented house.
The house was too expensive and too big, and besides, I’d grown fond of our little rented house.
口语这样讲可能没问题,但下面这样写是不对的。
The house was too expensive and too big, and besides, I’d grown fond of our little rented house.
原因是besides是副词,而副词不能连接两个完整的句子,而是一定要加and等连接词或是分号,才合乎文法规则。
看到这边,我们来整理一下用法。
Besides, S+V . . .
S+V . . . ; besides, S+V . . .
S+V . . . , and besides, S+V . . .
而其实不只是besides这样用,具备「连接词功能的副词」都是这样用喔。
(2) besides还可以当成介系词用,意思也是「此外」。
我们来看看牛津字典的例句:
We have lots of things in common besides music.
除了音乐以外,我们还有很多共同兴趣。
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熟悉了besides的用法后,我们来进军「进阶版」此外用法。
2. also (adv.) 并且;此外
Ellen Page just came out of the closet last February. Also, Tim Cook finally came out as gay publicly last October.
演员Ellen Page在去年2月出柜。此外,库克也在同年10月也出柜承认自己的同志身份了。
3. additionally (adv.) 除此之外
我们来看看富比士杂志的例句。
Additionally, the central bank cut interest rates at the weekend for the fourth time in seven months.
此外,央行在周末降息,也是近7个月以来第4度降息。
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4. in addition/in addition to 此外/除……之外
in addition = additionally
所以回到上面的例句,代换之后就变成:
In addition, the central bank cut interest rates at the weekend for the fourth time in seven months.
in addition to + N用法和besides当介系词时一样。
In addition to Louisa and Diana, Larry was seeing Kathy last year.
除了路易莎和和黛安娜以外,(脚踏三条船的)赖瑞去年也和凯西交往。
5. on top of that 除此之外
根据剑桥字典的解释,on top of that的定义是
in addition to something, especially something unpleasant
除了(尤指令人不快之事)之外(还)
In addition to heavy rain, our train was delayed.
除了暴雨以外,我们的火车也误点了。
这边要注意的是,尽管字典对on top of that的解释带有「屋漏偏逢连夜雨」的感觉,但其实native speaker并不这么认为。 On top of that基本上是中性的用法,可以用在负面,也可以用在正面的情境。不相信?我们来看看VT影片中native speakers怎么用这个字。
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6. apart from/alongside this 此外
The company posted quarter loss last quarter. Apart from/alongside this, it faced competition from its rivals.
这家公司上季呈现亏损。此外,该公司还面临对手的竞争。