|
傳統的文法課本說，寫句子不應該以but或yet開頭。今時今日，用but和yet起句的例子卻俯拾皆是。
But字起句 解作「但是」
4月18日《紐約時報》(The New York Times)一篇討論全球暖化的報道說：
A large majority of climate scientists say the climate is shifting in ways that could cause serious impacts, and they cite the human release of greenhouse gases as a principal cause. But a tiny, vocal minority of researchers contests that view.
大多數氣候科學家說，氣候正在變化，這些變化會帶來嚴重的影響；他們指出人類排放溫室氣體是氣候變化的主因。但是一小撮研究員大聲疾呼，挑戰這個觀點。
Yet字起句 意為「不過」
二月《經濟學人》(The Economist)討論近年阿拉伯反政府浪潮的成因時說：
No single issue fueled the wave of social unrest and political reform that swept the Arab world over the past year. Frustration with political repression and human rights abuses was clearly important. Yet economic malaise also played a significant role.
過去一年，社會動盪和政治改革浪潮席捲阿拉伯世界，成因不只一個。政治壓迫及人權侵害所引發的怨氣顯然影響重大。不過，經濟萎靡也是重要原因。
兩字開頭 句子「殘缺」
But和yet(解作「但是」時)在文法上屬於連接詞(conjunction)，例如：
1. 「He grew up in the United States, but he can speak fluent Cantonese.」(他在美國長大，但他能說流利的廣東話。)
2. 「She is a doctor, yet she smokes a lot.」(她是醫生，卻常常抽煙。)
因此，有些人認為，but和yet必須置於兩個子句之間；若句子用這些連接詞開頭 (如：「But he can speak fluent Cantonese.」；「Yet she smokes a lot.」)，就犯上「句子殘缺」(sentence fragment)的錯誤。
具感染力 不算出錯
不過，現在愈來愈多人接受以but或yet代替however、nevertheless這類副詞(adverb)。例如上述的「Yet economic malaise also played a significant role.」意思相等於「However, economic malaise also played a significant role.」
一些人覺得，but和yet的語氣比較隨意、不正式，所以在正式文件還是應該選用however或nevertheless。另一種看法是：兩組詞語的分別只在於but和yet(尤其是後者)能表達較強烈的轉折語氣，比however和nevertheless更具感染力。無論如何，大多數人已經不認為用but和yet起句是文法錯誤。
順帶一提，however(解作「然而」時)和nevertheless卻不可以反過來當連接詞。「He grew up in the United States. However, he can speak fluent Cantonese.」不能夠寫成「He grew up in the United States, however he can speak fluent Cantonese.」 ■葉劉淑儀 新民黨主席
|
