淺談英語時態

最近閱讀外交部前年發佈的一則英文新聞稿，不禁想起兩件往事，也興起寫這篇短文的意念。

記得二十四年前進部不久，奉命草擬一份英文證明函，用以證明某位華僑既未喪失我國國籍，亦未獲有其他國籍。當時筆者把那段文字直譯為：「This is to certify that Mr. XXX has never lost his Chinese nationality, nor has he acquired any foreign nationality since 1030.」。後來上級長官把其中的兩個has劃掉，並把since改成after。繕發前筆者向科長報告，該句經上級長官核改後，既與當事人申請之意旨不符，且文法上亦有錯誤，恐欠妥適。當時科長復以，該函既經上級核定，最好照繕寄發。但約兩星期後，申請人果然把那證明函寄回，並請求改正。

此外，民國七十三年九月李前副總統登輝伉儷訪斐返國後，某長官代館長擬了一封致斐官員的謝函，其原文如次：

「I wish to express, on behalf of Their Excellencies Dr. Teng-hui Lee, Vice President of the Republic of China and Madame Lee, and on my own behalf, our thanks and appreciation for the kindness and assistance you had so kindly extended to them and their party during their recent visit to the Republic of South Africa. Indeed, your personal attention to them had made their stay in this beautiful country not only pleasant but also memorable.」

國人多自中學起才學英文，一般人想講好英語，寫好英文確實不易。因此，在學習過程中，不得不同時研讀英文文法，以資輔助，並避免錯誤。依筆者個人學習經驗，英文動詞的「時態」（TENSE）之用法，對國人最為困擾，尤其是過去式、現在完成式及過去完成式三者，最易混淆。但事實上，只需稍加注意，則不難辨。過去式是用以表示過去的事實、動作、狀態、經驗或習慣等等，通常均伴有過去的時間副詞，如Yesterday; last year; on July 18; in 1940或just now等；現在完成式則用以表示到現在為止或與現在有關的動作或狀態，絕不得伴有過去時間的副詞（但得伴有表示現在時間的副詞，如now; today; this morning; this month; this year等）；而過去完成式則用以表示截至過去某時間為止之動作的完成、繼續或經驗等。茲各舉數例如次，以供參辨：

★ 現在式：

   I met him in Taipei on July 15, 1986.

   I wish to express my thanks and appreciation for the kindness and assistance you kindly extended to them during their visit.

★ 現在完成式：

   Plastics have taken the place of many conventional materials.（表示 

   結果）

   I have seen that face somewhere before.（表示經驗）

   I have already been in foreign service for twenty-four years.（表示

   經驗）

★ 過去完成式：

He said he had studied English for five years.

I had finished my home work when he called on me last night.

讀了上面簡單的例句，讓我們來細究本部上（七十七）年七月二十二日所發新聞稿的第一段，其原文如次： “The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced on July 22, 1990 that it has established diplomatic relations with the Chinese Communist regime starting from the same day. In view of the Kingdom ‘s disregard of the traditional friendship between our two peoples and its yielding to the Chinese Communist’s disruption of the long-standing close ties between our two countries, the Government of the Republic of China has instructed its Embassy in Riyadh to lodge the strongest protest against the Kingdom for the decision and has also decided to suspend its diplomatic relations with the Kingdom on July 22, 1990.” 則不難發現其第一句的「has established」應是錯誤的，其正確的時態應該是「過去完成式」，即應改為「had established」；至於第二句末尾的「on July 22,1990」，則應改為「as of July 22, 1990」，俾與前面的「has instructed」 與「has also decided」相呼應。

有些事情確是見仁見智，但不可否認的，往往也愈辯愈明。以上是筆者個人的淺見與認知，而草擬此文的目的、旨在使錯誤減少，以增進我們的形象、尚請各位同仁不吝隨時指教。（民國七十九年寫於德國漢堡，並刊載於外交部通訊）