限制性定语从句为什么没有紧挨着先行词呢

问题描述

老师您好：

The machine was used in a cave near the seashore where -it is said- pirates used to hide gold.

此句中翻译为：这个机器被用于靠近海岸的一个山洞里，据说海盗以前常常在这里藏金字。

那么 where 引导的定语从句挨着 seashore 而不是紧挨着 cave，为什么定语从句修饰的是cave 而不是 shore 呢？盼复，谢谢！

老师答疑

刘老师：

语法没有规定：定语从句必须紧靠先行词。有时候，先行词之后还有一个词语修饰，这时，定语从句与先行词就被分隔。又如：

The travellers set up a camp near the river where they could sleep. 旅行者在河边建立了一个营地，在那里他们可以睡觉。

此外，修饰关系也可从语义上判断：海盗藏匿金子是在海边还是山洞？上句，睡觉的地方是在河边还是宿营地？答案不言自明。

再举几个定语从句被介词短语分隔的例子：

It was an exciting moment for these football fans this year, when for the first time in years their team won the World Cup.

The film brought the hours back to me when I was taken good care of in that far-away village.

After graduation she reached a point in her career where she had to decide what to do.

曾老师：

一般情况下,定语从句都紧跟在先行词之后,但有时也会隔开，语法上称之为“分隔定语”。本句cave有两个定语，定语从句where -it is said- pirates used to hide gold与先行词被另一个定语near the seashore隔开，于是定语从句便成了“分隔定语”。再给几个分隔定语的例句：

All is not gold that glitters. 发光的并不都是金子。

The village has developed a lot where we learned farming two years ago.两年前我们学农的那个村子变化很大。

Do you remember one afternoon ten years ago when I came to your house and borrowed a diamond necklace? 你还记得十年前的一天下午我在你家借钻石项链的事吗?

There are many thousands of stars in the sky that are like the sun. 天空中有成千上万颗像太阳一样的恒星。

The reason,believe it or not,why he was late was really true. 不论相信与否,他迟到的理由确实是真的。