商務英語郵件遇到詞組複數如何處理

衆所周知,在英語中要把一個名詞變成複數,只要在這個詞的後面加上“s”就行了。不過,當一個名詞變成了由幾個名詞組成的詞組時,就讓人摸不着頭腦了。舉個例子,如果你要表示自行車商店的複數形式,你是用“bicycles shop”還是“bicycle shops”?在表示授權書的.複數時,你是說“power of attorneys”還是“powers of attorney”?

商務英語郵件遇到詞組複數如何處理

The answers are bicycle shops and powers of attorney.

正確的說法是“bicycle shops”和“powers of attorney”。

The rule is that you pluralise the “head” of the term.

名詞詞組複數變化的規則就是:變“重點詞”。

The term bicycle shop is typical of most noun groups. The “head” is the last word in the group. The previous word or words act as an adjective. So the last word in the group is pluralised. Here are some more examples:

“自行車商店”這個名詞詞組是一個很典型的例子。在這個詞組中,重點詞是最後一個詞,即商店(shop);前面的詞或者詞組只是起到了一個形容詞的修飾作用而已。因此,在這個詞組中,最後一個詞變成了複數形式。更多類似的例子:

Bank account => Bank accounts

銀行賬戶

Company car => Company cars

公司用車

Price limit => Price limits

價格限制

Termination notice => Termination notices

終止通知

Service charge payment => Service charge payments

服務費收費

Employee share option scheme => Employee share option schemes

僱員股份認購權計劃

However, a term like power of attorney acts rather differently. Power is the “head” and of attorney is an adjectival phrase which describes the “head”. Here are some other examples of terms that behave in the same way:

然而,像授權書這樣的詞組就又是另外一番解釋了。在這個詞組中,重點詞是權利(power),律師(attorney)一詞只是用來充當形容詞的修飾成分。

Article of association => Articles of association

更多類似的例子:

Code of conduct => Codes of conduct

公司章程

Conflict of interest => Conflicts of interest

行爲守則

Course of action => Courses of action

利益衝突

Notary public => Notaries public

行動步驟

Statement of claim => Statements of claim

公證人

起訴書