英语中的一词多义现象
冯志伟
在英语学习中，我们应当注意准确地掌握英语单词的词义，特别是辨别一词多义现象。
一词多义是自然语言中存在的普遍现象，在英语学习中，如果词义理解错误，就不能正确地了解句子的意思。一词多义现象也就是词汇的歧义（lexical ambiguity）。
英语中的名词、代词、动词、形容词、连接词、介词都存在词汇歧义，我们应当细心地加以辨别。这里我们通过一些实例来说明。
-- 名词中的歧义
多义词、同形异义词、单复数、缩写词都可能造成歧义。
● 多义词：具有多个涵义的词位叫做多义词，多义词中的各个涵义是有联系的。
例如，在句子John is a bachelor.中，bachelor有两个不同的意思，一个意思是“单身汉” （unmarried man），一个意思是“学士”（first university degree），从而造成歧义。我们可以把这种情况写为如下的形式：
John is a bachelor
à John is an unmarried man.
John holds a first university degree.
这表示，bachelor是一个多义词，它的不同的意思，由箭头后面的两个句子表示出来。
其他关于名词歧义的例子还有：
1) John is a doctor.
àJohn is a medical doctor.
John is a doctor of philosophy.
Doctor的涵义可以是“医生”，也可以是“博士”，从而造成歧义。
2) He is looking for his glasses.
à He is looking for his drinking glasses.
He is looking for his reading glasses.
Glasses的涵义可以是“玻璃杯”，也可以是“眼镜”，从而造成歧义。
3) Here is a little lamb.
à Here is a small lamb.
Here is a small amount of lamb.
Lamb的含义可以是“小羊”，也可以是“羊肉”，从而造成歧义。
● 同形异义词：词形相同而意思不同的词叫同形异义词，同形异义词中的各个涵义之间没有联系。例如，
1) He looked at the bank.
à He looked at the river bank..
He looked at the money bank.
Bank的涵义可以是“河岸”，也可以是“银行”，从而造成歧义。据词源学家考证：“河岸”的意义来自斯堪底纳维亚语，“银行”的意义来自意大利语。
2) The rest of the army was insufficient.
àThe period of sleep of the army was insufficient.
The remainder of the army was insufficient.
Rest的涵义可以是“睡眠时间”，也可以是“剩余物资”，从而造成歧义。
● 名词的单数形式和复数形式相同而造成的歧义：例如，
1) I saw the sheep graze in the field.
à I saw this sheep graze in the field.
I saw these sheep graze in the field.
Sheep的单数形式和复数形式相同，所以，难于辨别它的数，从而造成歧义。
2) They put the condemned to death.
à They put the condemned person to death.
They put the condemned persons to death.
Condemned这个过去分词形式作为名词使用，难于辨别它是单数还是复数，产生歧异。
● 缩写词造成的歧义：例如，
1) He is a news reporter from ABC. àHe is a news reporter from Australian Broadcasting Company.
He is a news reporter from American Broadcasting Company.
缩写词ABC的涵义可以是澳大利亚广播公司，也可以是美国广播公司，从而造成歧义。
2) In this book, he talks about WWW.
à In this book, he talks about the World Without War.
In this book, he talks about the World Wide Web.
缩写词WWW的涵义可以是“没有战争的世界”，也可以是“万维网”，从而造成歧义。
-- 代词中的歧义
例如，
1) Nobody said he was wrong.
à Nobody said he himself was wrong.
Nobody said the person in question was wrong.
代词he究竟是指“说话人自己”还是指“所说的另一个人”，难于分辨，从而造成歧义。
2) He shot himself.
à He killed himself by shooting
He shot personally.
Himself究竟是指“自己射击自己”，也就是“自杀”，还是指射击人“亲自射击”，难于分辨，从而造成歧义。
3) Everyone was eating a large cake.
àEveryone was eating a large cake together.
Everyone was eating a large cake respectively.
Everyone是指“大家共同吃一个大蛋糕”，还是“每个人分别吃一个大蛋糕”，难于分辨，从而造成歧义。
4) Every sailor loves a girl.
àEvery sailor loves his own girl.
Every sailor loves the same girl.
Every是指“每一个海员都喜欢自己的姑娘”，还是“每一个海员都喜欢同一个姑娘”，难于分辨，从而造成歧义。
-- 动词中的歧义
例如，
1) I heard the child crying.
àI heard the child weeping.
I heard the child shouting.
Crying的涵义可以是“哭”，也可以是“喊叫”，从而造成歧义。
2) John is drawing a cart.
à John is pulling a cart.
John is making a picture of a cart.
Drawing的涵义可以是“拉动”，也可以是“作画”，从而造成歧义。
3) They never saw the wood.
à They never saw the wood with their own eyes.
They never cut the wood with a saw.
Saw的涵义可以是“看”，也可以是“锯”，从而造成歧义。
-- 形容词中的歧义
例如，
1) John is a poor mechanic.
à John is a mechanic with little money.
John is a mechanic who lacks competence.
Poor的涵义可以是“贫穷的”，也可以是“糟糕的”，从而造成歧义。
2) She is a Japanese student.
à She is a student who is a Japanese.
She is a student who studies Japanese.
Japanese的涵义可以是“日语的”，也可以是“日本的”，从而造成歧义。
3) He tried to make the ship fast.
àHe tried to speed up the ship.
He tried to fasten the ship.
Fast的涵义可以是“快”，也可以是“拉紧”，从而造成歧义。
4) That was a brilliant idea.
àThat was a clever idea.
That was a stupid idea.
Brilliant的涵义可以是“聪明的”，也可以是“愚蠢的”，从而造成歧义。
5) He is a sweet salesman.
àHe is a salesman who is sweet.
He is a man who sells sweets (在这种情况下，sweets是一个名词)
Sweet的涵义可以是“可亲的”，也可以是“甜食”，从而造成歧义。
-- 连接词中的歧义
例如，
1) As it became cold, we do not go outside.
àWhen it becomes cold, we do not go outside.
Because it became cold, we do not go outside.
As的涵义可以是“当什么时候”，也可以是“因为”，从而造成歧义。
2) While I was working at night in the library, I saw Mary often.
àWhen I was working at night in the library, I saw Mary often.
Although I was working at night in the library, I saw Mary often.
While的涵义可以是“当什么时候”，也可以是“尽管”，从而造成歧义。
3) Since I lost my glasses yesterday, I haven’t been able to do any work.
àFrom the time when I lost my glasses yesterday till now, I haven’t been able to do any work.
Because I lost my glasses yesterday, I haven’t been able to do any work.
Since的涵义可以是“从什么时候”，也可以是“因为”，从而造成歧义。
-- 介词中的歧义
例如，
1) The reminiscence of my father was very interesting.
àThe reminiscence written by my father was very interesting.
The reminiscence about my father was very interesting.
Of my father的涵义可以是“我父亲写的”，也可以是“关于我父亲的”，从而造成歧义。
2) John is with Tom.
àJohn stays with Tom.
John agrees with Tom.
With Tom的涵义可以是“跟Tom在一起”，也可以是“同意Tom的意见”，从而造成歧义。
3) John hits the man with the stick.
à John hits the man by means of the stick.
John hits the man who carried the stick.
With the stick是一个介词短语，它可以修饰名词短语the man，也可以修饰动词hits，从而造成歧义。这样的句法结构歧义与介词with具有不同的涵义有关，所以，也可以看成是由于with涵义的不同而造成的词汇歧义。
4) The damage was done by the river.
àThe damage was brought about by the river.
The damage was done beside the river.
By的涵义可以是“由于”，也可以是“在什么旁边”，从而造成歧义。
由以上的分析可以看出，英语中的词汇歧义现象分布很广，涉及到各主要的词类，而且，不同的歧义都有很强的特异性，很不容易发现一般性的规律。这是英语学习的一个难点。
在英语学习中，我们应当根据语言环境或上下文，在多义词的多个涵义中选择最恰当的涵义，从而更好地掌握英语单词的词义，提高英语学习的效果。
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