doubtless是形容词还是副词
一、基本规律
大家知道,英语中的后缀-less通常用于构成形容词,其相应的副词则是-lessly。如:
1. aimless—aimlessly
After several hours of aimless searching they were getting low on fuel. 在几个小时漫无目的的搜寻之后,他们快没燃料了。
They wandered aimlessly around the town. 他们在城里无目的地闲逛。
2. careless—carelessly
It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked. 他忘了锁门,真是粗心大意。
She was fined £100 for driving carelessly. 她因开车违章,被罚款100英镑。
3. effortless—effortlessly
I went up the steps in two effortless bounds. 我没费一点力气,两下就跳上了台阶。
There is so much information you can almost effortlessly find the facts for yourself. 资料这么多,你几乎可以毫不费力地找到事实真相。
4. endless—endlessly
There seemed to be an endless supply of food at the meeting. 会议上好像不断地有食物供应。
He was endlessly kind and patient with children. 他对孩子们总是非常好,很有耐心。
5. fearless—fearlessly
She was fearless in her attacks on public figures. 她对公众人物进行大胆攻击。
They fought fearlessly against the invading armies. 他们无畏地与侵略军作战。
6. fruitless—fruitlessly
After months of fruitless inquiry we finally discovered the truth. 经过几个月毫无进展的探索,我们终于发现了事情的真相。
Four years of negotiation ended fruitlessly last December. 历时4 年的谈判在去年 12 月无果而终。
7. harmless—harmlessly
Taken in small doses, this drug is completely harmless. 小剂量服用这种药是完全无害的。
Another missile exploded harmlessly outside the town. 又一枚导弹在城外爆炸,没有造成任何伤害。
8. hopeless—hopelessly
The economic crisis makes jobs almost impossible to find and even able pupils feel hopeless about job prospects. 经济危机使得找到工作几乎成为不可能,就连能力出众的学生都对工作前景不抱希望。
I know that if I start watching a soap opera I immediately become hopelessly addicted. 我知道,要是我一开始看肥皂剧,我很快就会无可救药地上瘾。
9. restlessly—restlessly
After listening to him for three hours the audience became restless. 在听他讲了三个小时之后,听众开始变得不耐烦了。
He paced up and down restlessly, trying to put his thoughts in order. 他坐立不安地走来走去,尽力想理清思绪。
10. selfless—selflessly
She will be remembered for her selfless devotion to the cause of the poor. 人们会记住她对扶贫事业的无私奉献。
I’ve never known anyone who cared so selflessly about children. 我从未见过如此无私地关心孩子的人。
11. thoughtless—thoughtlessly
It was thoughtless of you to forget your sister’s birthday. 你太疏忽了,连自己妹妹的生日也给忘了。
Nobody is perfect, and everyone acts thoughtlessly on occasion. 人无完人,谁都难保不偶尔疏忽一次。
12. useless—uselessly
It’s useless trying to convince her (that) she doesn’t need to lose any weight. 要让她相信她无需减肥是徒劳的。
Uselessly, he checked the same pockets he’d checked before. 他把先前检查过的那些口袋又查了一遍,毫无收获。
二、想当然测试
请从所给的四个选项中选择一个最佳答案填空:
在现代英语中,doubtless是___________。
A. 形容词 B. 副词 C. 名词 D. 代词
【测试结果】如果你选择的答案是A,你就错了,正确答案是B。尽管英语中绝大部分以后缀 –less 结尾的单词是形容词,其相应的副词形式是在 –less 后再加后缀 –ly。但在现代英语中,doubtless 是个例外,它只用作副词,不用作形容词。
三、doubtless的用法
doubtless的基本意思是“无疑”“肯定”“大概”等,大致相当于certainly, almost certainly等。根据语义的需要,它在句中的位置比较灵活。
1. 用于句首
Doubtless he’ll be bringing his guitar, as usual. 他很可能跟平常一样会带吉他来。
Doubtless you will have heard the news already. 到时候你肯定会已经得知这个消息了。
Doubtless there would be dozens of photographers waiting for her. 毫无疑问会有数十名摄影师等着她。
2. 用于句中
They will doubtless protest, but there’s nothing they can do. 他们肯定会提出抗议,但也无能为力。
I’ve more to tell you than you doubtless read in the paper. 你可能从报上读到了一些,不过,我要告诉你更多。
the company would doubtless find the reduced competition to their liking. 该公司肯定会发现竞争的减少是合他们心意的。
3. 用于状语从句前
She took off her shoes, doubtless because her feet hurt. 她脱掉了鞋子,大概是因为脚疼。
四、相关联想
英语常用词中只有三个以 –less 结尾的副词,除doubtless外,还有nevertheless 和nonetheless(两者虽然拼写不同,但意思和用法相同,均表示“然而”“不过”)。现举例如下:
We spent too much money on our vacation; nevertheless, we had fun. 我们度假花钱太多了;不过我们玩得很开心。
The soldiers were cold, tired, and hungry; nonetheless, they continued to march. 战士们又冷、又累、又饿,然而他们仍然继续行军。
Most marriages fail after between five and nine years. Nevertheless, people continue to get married. 大部分婚姻在婚后第五至第九年间失败,然而,人们仍会选择结婚。
There is little chance that we will succeed in changing the law. Nevertheless, it is important that we try. 我们几乎没有可能改变法律,不过,重要的是我们努力争取。
尽管本身含有转折的意味,但有时仍可与表示转折的连词but连用。如:
I knew a lot about the subject already, but her talk was interesting nevertheless. 我对这个问题已经了解得比较多了,但我觉得他的讲话很有趣。
The old system had its flaws, but nevertheless it was preferable to the new one. 尽管原来这个系统有自己的缺陷,但它仍比这个新系统要更好。
注:从构词法角度看,doubtless中的-less为后缀,但nevertheless 和nonetheless中的-less并非后缀,因为英语中并没有neverthe和nonethe这样的单词。