之前一直在講的形容詞子句, 就是白話的這個/那個. 變形後可以用名詞 + ing方式, 今天要講的是, ing + 名詞的變形, 俗稱的現在分詞.
1. Two-thirds of the electricity in China is generated by burning heavily polluting coal.中國三分之二的電力來自燃燒污染最嚴重的煤
Polluting coal → coal which is heavily polluting
整句可改寫成如下：
Two-thirds of the electricity in China is generated by burning coal which is heavily polluting.
英文直譯：中國三分之二的電力來自燃燒煤, 而這個煤污染最嚴重
2. But falling prices for many Chinese products — because of a glut of output in China
但由於中國產能過剩導致很多中國產品價格下降
Falling prices → prices which are falling
整句可改寫成如下：
But prices which are falling for many Chinese products— because of a glut of output in China.
英文直譯：但由於中國產能過剩導致很多中國產品這個價格下降
3. Europe and the United States also face threats from China to their longstanding economic relationships in developing countries.
歐洲和美國在它們與發展中國家的長期經濟關係上也面臨著來自中國的威脅
Longstanding economic relationships → economic relationships which are longstanding
整句可改寫如下：
Europe and the United States also face threats from China to their economic relationships which are longstanding in developing countries.
英文直譯：歐洲和美國在它們的經濟關係上也面臨著來自中國的威脅, 而這個經濟關係是與發展中國家長期的經濟關係
以英文直譯的角度來看, 是不是顯得很畫蛇添足? 一樣符合所謂的形容詞就是這個/那個, 不論是以子句或是分詞形式表達. 英文另外帶出子句, 中文將形容情境化為無台, 再請要被形容的名詞出場在這無台上. 進步始終來自惰性, 惰性發揮的好, 變形形容詞也可學的好.