标题就是文章的名字。不管是人名、地名、书名、电影名、动物名、植物名还是其他事物的名称都是名词,所以文章的标题也应该以名词或名词性的词组或结构为主——这是对标题的基本认识,也是对标题的基本语法要求。重庆翻译公司明确这一点很重要,否则就无法理解下面的标题语法规则。
1. 名词做标题
⑴ 名词做标题时,要注意是可数名词还是不可数名词。
不可数名词做标题时,前面可加定冠词,但一般可省略。如:The water 或Water
可数名词单数做标题时,前面一般须加定冠词the 或不定冠词a,如不加冠词,则须用复数形式。这是较审慎的用法,要求我们的报纸采用。如:
The panda,Pandas(用于介绍熊猫这一类动物的文章)
A panda(用于关于一只熊猫的故事的文章)
A NEW ENGLISH-CHINESE DICTIONARY(《新英汉词典》)
THE ENGLISH-CHINESE DICTIONARY(《英汉大词典》)
A PRACTICAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR(《实用英语语法》)
有时(特别是国外的出版物)冠词也有省略的情况。如:
OXFORD ADVANCED LEARNER’S ENGLISH-CHINESEDICTIONARY (《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》)LONGMAN DICTIONARY OFCONTEMPORARY ENGLISH
⑵ 具体名词的抽象化
当用做标题的具体名词不是指某一具体事物而是指一个抽象概念时,这个具体名词就被抽象化了。抽象化的具体名词做标题时前面不加冠词。如:
Computer(用于内容为关于计算机这一现代办公机器而不是指具体的某一台电脑的文章)
Television (用于内容为关于电视这一现代传媒而不是指具体的某一台电视机的文章)
Bicycle(用于内容为关于自行车这一交通工具而不是指具体的某一辆自行车的文章)
当然,把这些词仍然看作具体名词,用The computer / Thetelevision / The bicycle或Computers / Televisions /Bicycles也是正确的。
2.动词做标题
动词做标题时有两种情况:
⑴ 以动词开头的祈使句做标题时,动词用原形,后面的感叹号可有可无。如:
Go for it(!) Don’tbe late(!) Be modest(!)
⑵ 动词或以动词开头的词组做标题时,动词不能用原形,要用动词不定式或动名词形式。至于到底用动词不定式还是动名词,要根据文章的内容及动词词组在文章中的作用确定。如:
Learning English,Englishlearning(动名词词组,文章内容是有关英语学习的)
To learn English(动词不定式,在文章中表示目的)
3.陈述句做标题
⑴ 陈述句做标题时多用一般现在时,一般不用其他时态的完整形式。如:
Yao Ming visits Taiwan Rainy days makeme sad
其他时态的陈述句做标题时须做以下处理:
① 进行时常省去助动词be (am / is / are / was / were)。如:
The earth is becoming warmer → (The)Earthbecoming warmer
② 完成时常变为一般现在时。如:
The UK queen has arrived in Australia →(The)UK queen arrives in Australia
⑵ 被动语态的陈述句做标题时,常省略助动词be。如:
More than 100 people were killed in theearthquake → More than 100 (people) killed in (the) earthquake
The US policies are increasingly criticized→ (The)US policies increasingly criticized
⑶ 表示将要发生的事一般采用动词不定式。如:
President Hu will visit Russia → PresidentHu to visit Russia
Premier Wen is going to visit Australia →Premier Wen to visit Australia
4.疑问句做标题
⑴ 一般疑问句做标题。如:Are you happy? Can you come tomy party?
⑵ 特殊疑问句做标题,既可以用原句,也可以加以改写:
① 改写为“How / Wh-words + 动词不定式”结构。如:
How do you study for a test? → How to studyfor a test(?)
Why do you learn English? → Why to learnEnglish(?)
Where can I get a dictionary? → Where toget a dictionary(?)
② 改写为名词性从句结构。如:
How does a computer work? → How a computer works
Why does the sun rise in the east? → Whythe sun rises in the east
③ 改写为一个名词性词组。如:
What’s the best radio station? → The bestradio station
Which is the way to the airport? → The wayto the airport
注意:并不是任何一个特殊疑问句都可以改写为上述三种形式的任何一种,要根据原句的结构具体选择。
5.感叹句做标题
感叹句做标题也可以用其省略形式。如:
How beautiful the flowers are! → Howbeautiful!
What a nice girl she is! → What a nicegirl!
6.词组做标题
各种词组、短语也可以做标题:
⑴ 物主代词+名词
My family, My hometown, My dream,My mother
⑵ 形容词+名词
A frightening experience, Bigcities and small towns
⑶ 名词+介词短语
Sports in China, Lenin in 1918, Aday at school
⑷ 名词+名词 E
nglish study, Work days, Schoollife, Summer vocation
⑸ 名词+非谓语动词
The days to come, Englishteaching,
⑹ 非谓语动词+名词
Sleeping beauty, Destroyedforests, Sleeping bags
⑺ 介词+名词
In China, For your good, By air, Onpractice, Between you and me
⑻ 不定代词+形容词
Something important, Nobodylost, Anything new?
7.其他结构做标题
⑴ 独词句做标题 Why? Who? Yes! No!
⑵ 从句做标题 If I have one million dollars! Whenyou go abroad
⑶ 复合句做标题 Speak out when you have an idea! Iused to be shy when I was a child
⑷ 中心词带从句的标题 A book that helpedme a lot; The school I studied in