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关于定语从句的用法,以及选择关系词等问题,一般语法书都做了详尽的规定和说明。同时,几乎所有的语法书和涉及定语从句的文章,都专门提醒that和which的不同用法。记忆起来感觉比较困难,而且容易混淆。这里面有什么奥秘和规律可循吗?我们先回顾一下这个问题:
当定语从句修饰物时,关系代词用that不用which,大致有如下几种情况:
1. 当先行词本身是all, everything, anything, nothing, none, little, few等代词时,关系代词原则上用that,不用which,例如:
In China, parents always do everything that they can to support their children. 在中国,父母总是尽他们所能来抚养孩子。
I did nothing that might hurt you. 我没有做任何可能伤害你的事。
All that glitters is not gold. 闪光的东西并非都是金子。
2. 当先行词被all, every, no, little, few, the only, the very, the right(恰当的), the last, the same等修饰时,关系代词原则上用that,不用which,例如:
Chatting is the only thing that interests her most. 聊天是她唯一感兴趣的事情。
These messages are the very ones that I have been looking for. 这些就是我一直在寻找的信息。
This is the last thing that I want to do. 这是我最不愿意做的事情。
3. 当先行词本身是序数词或形容词最高级,以及被序数词、形容词最高级修饰时,关系代词原则上用that,不用which,例如:
It was the largest map that I ever saw. 那是我见过的最大的地图。
When it comes to Jinan, the first that comes to mind is the spring water. 谈到济南时,首先想到的就是泉水。
That is the best film that has ever been shown so far in the city. 那是这座城市到目前为止放过的最好的一部电影。
【问题探究】
透视上述三种情况,我们发现:一旦先行词或之前的修饰语表达了①独一无二概念、 ②全部概念、 ③完全否定的概念时,也就是说无需选择或者无法选择的时候,原则不能使用关系代词which,因为which曾经是疑问代词哪一个,多少还保留着选择的意味。比方说,the only 表示唯一,everything表示所有的东西,none表示什么都没有,这些还需要选择吗?还能做出选择吗?既然不能选择或者无法选择,which最好就别用了。
同理,修饰人的定语从句,如果先行词本身或前面的修饰语跟上述情况相同,那么,同样选择使用that,尽量避免使用who。说明who这个关系代词仍然带有原来疑问的味道。例如:
Her father was the simplest, hardest working man that we had ever met.
Alice is the only girl that was praised by the headmaster at yesterdays meeting.
All the passengers that were injured were carried to the hospital.