摘要:古英语时期,介词不发达。那时后靠词尾变形来表达现在的介词功能。按现在习惯,“相互”应该是each to/from other, 但to/from other在古英语时期是词尾有变形的一个单词。后来英语单词的词尾变形被淡化,但对于“相互”的other也没加介词(
汉语“互相,彼此”更像副词,但英语each other是代词,所以作状语往往加介词,如
【例句1】They looked at each other and laughed. (他们面面相觑[qù],哈哈大笑。) [牛津高级学者辞典]
【例句2】We looked at each other in silence. (我们默默地互相看着对方。 ) [柯林斯高级学者辞典]
【例句3】They kept looking at each other and smiling. (他们一直互相看着对方,微笑着。)[剑桥高级学者辞典]
【例句4】The girls looked at each other. (女孩们面面相觑。)[朗文当代英语词典]
【例句5】Why are you always arguing with each other?(你们为什么总是吵架? ) [剑桥高级学者辞典]
【例句6】They're so happy together - they were made for each other (= are perfectly matched).(他们在一起很幸福——他们天生一对。) [剑桥高级学者辞典]
直接作宾语是没有问题的,如
【例句7】Don and Susie really loved each other (= he loved her and she loved him). (唐和苏茜真的很相爱。)[牛津高级学者辞典]
【例句8】Uncle Paul and I hardly know each other. (保罗叔叔和我几乎不认识对方。 ) [柯林斯高级学者辞典]
【例句9】Susan and Robert kissed each other passionately. (苏珊和罗伯特热情地互相亲吻。 )[朗文当代英语词典]
它也可以有所有格(副词无法所有格),
【例句10】We can wear each other's clothes. (我们可以穿对方的衣服。 ) [牛津高级学者辞典]
【例句11】They're always wearing each other's clothes. (他们总是穿着彼此的衣服。) [剑桥高级学者辞典]
【例句12】They enjoy each other's company. (他们享受彼此的陪伴。)[朗文当代英语词典]
【例句13】Both sides are willing to make allowances for each other's political sensitivities. (双方都愿意考虑对方的政治敏感性。) [柯林斯高级学者辞典]
最后的问题:each和other现在都是代词,二者怎么混在一起了呢?
古英语时期,介词不发达。那时后靠词尾变形来表达现在的介词功能。按现在习惯,“相互”应该是each to/from other, 但to/from other在古英语时期是词尾有变形的一个单词。后来英语单词的词尾变形被淡化,但对于“相互”的other也没加介词(可能太常用了),于是就成了现在的each other。
其实,现在名词性this morning, that afternoon等在古英语时期,也是有相当于现在介词的词尾变化。这个词尾变化在向现代英语发展过程中也丢了,于是this morning, that afternoon就直接做时间状语了。这有点类似汉语,“今天早晨雾很大”比“在今天早晨雾很大”更顺溜一些。
来源:力元教育