按照合成程度的不同,復(fù)合名詞一般有三種:合寫類(如blackboard)、分寫類(如hot line)、連字符類(如air-conditioner)。合寫類的關(guān)系最緊密,已成為一個詞,分寫類的關(guān)系最不緊密,連字符類的居中。為簡便起見,我們分別以AB、A B、A-B來表示,考慮到A-B類的特殊性,又繼而將其分為重心在A和重心在B類(由三個或三個以上詞合成的復(fù)合名詞也歸入A-B類,如father-in-law)。
1. AB類。通常把最后一個詞變?yōu)閺?fù)數(shù)。如:
bookshelf → bookshelves
silkworm → silkworms
pathfinder →pathfinders
2. A B類。一般把最后一個詞變?yōu)閺?fù)數(shù)。如:
black sheep → black sheep
green house → green houses
但由man, woman構(gòu)成的復(fù)合名詞例外,兩個詞通常都要變?yōu)閺?fù)數(shù)。如:
woman doctor → women doctors
man driver → men drivers
woman servant → women servants
man singer → men singers
3. A-B類。(1)重心在A上。
用連字符連接的復(fù)合名詞變?yōu)閺?fù)數(shù)時,如果復(fù)合詞中第一個詞是名詞或更重要, 一般把第一個名詞變?yōu)閺?fù)數(shù)。
passer-by →passers-by
looker-on → lookers-on
sister-in-law → sisters-in-law
runner-up → runners-up
(2)重心在B上。
這類詞變復(fù)數(shù),通常變后一個詞。
grown-up → grown-ups
new-born → new-borns
step-mother → step-mothers
根據(jù)以上知識,請完成下列各題:
(1)are now easy to find jobs.
A. Woman driver
B. Woman drivers
C. Women driver
D. Women drivers
(2) In ten year’s time, all those youngsters will become .
A. grown-ups B. growns-up
C. growns-upsD. grown-up
(3)The Nazi kept thosein their concentration camps(集中營).
A. prisoner-of-wars
B. prisoners-of-wars
C. prisoners-of-war
D. prisoner-of-war
(keys: D, A, C)