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| Sunday, 11 July 2004 |
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Grammatically gauche... Continued from last sunday The sentences are correct with the correct tense of the verbs but on page 84 eg (iii) a present perfect tense verb 'has lived' is used in the sentence-My cousin has lived in Saudi Arabia for six years and the book explains that the cousin is still living. This is a wrong explanation, which comes into conflict with the meanings of the three present perfect tense verbs of the sentences (1) and (2) above given in the passage "Nihal's War". Otherwise all the following sentences with the present perfect tense verbs mean that the action is still going on. (1) On the way here, we have passed empty buildings.... bullet holes. (Are we still passing? No) (2) We have gone through other check points and have given two soldiers a ride...... (Are we still going through and still giving? No) (3) I have played cricket in school (Am I still playing? No) Let me give a sentence with a present perfect tense verb-The British have ruled Sri Lanka for one hundred and fifty years. This sentence does not mean that the British are still ruling. Likewise the sentence in page 84 eg (iii) "My cousin has lived in Saudi Arabia for six years" does not mean the cousin is still living as erroneously explained. If the cousin is still living in Saudi Arabia, the sentence should have a present perfect continuous verb as illustrated below. (1) My cousin has been living in Saudi Arabia for six years. (2) I have been studying English since the age of seven. In page 158, there are two sentences. (1) He resembles a cat. (2) She has a car. The book explains that these two sentences cannot be changed into passive voice but does not say why they cannot be changed. These two sentences cannot be changed into passive voice because "resembles" and"has" are verbs of incomplete predicate (vip), which means a word or phrase has to be added to the verb (vip) to complete the predicate, and such addition is called a 'complement'. In the following sentences, in bold parts are 'complement'. (1) We elected him prefect. (2) I thought her to be intelligent. (3) The athlete became tired. (4) She is beautiful. (5) The trader became rich. (6) The youngest son resembles the father. (7) She has a problem. Similarly the following sentences in page 2 are not objects as erroneously classified but complement because the underlined parts are added to the verb 'has' (vip) to complete the predicate. (1) She has nicely shaped hands. (2) She has thick hair. (3) She has nice features. (Note: the underlined parts do not suffer the action of the verb to be objects; it only shows the possession of the verb 'has'). On page 120 a report is given with blanks to be filled with given words and phrases; out of the six sentences in the report five are given in the passive voice and one sentence is as follows - The library roof fell down. The explanation in the Grammar note treats this sentence as passive voice. This is a wrong explanation. A sentence can take a passive structure only when it has an object in the active form. The sentence 'The library roof fell down' is similar in structure to the following sentences. (1) Sun rises. (2) Moon shines. (3) Fish swims. (4) The library roof fell. (can be written without 'down') All the above sentences have intransitive verbs and they are not in passive voice. However, the following two sentences are in the passive voice - (1) The library roof was damaged. (agent not stated) (2) The library roof was repaired. (agent not stated). In view of the above coherent and cogent elucidation, it is nothing but justifiably correct to contend the fact that the G.C.E. (A/L) text contains bizarre blunders. At a time when English has deplorably deteriorated and the cream of Literature is elusive in the present day school texts, specially in rural schools, and when howlers have invaded the fine parameters of English, washing away the fine grains of the language, I deem that the Minister of Education, the Commissioner of Educational Publications and the supportive staff are lethargic to this vital issue like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, so that the concomitant adverse repercussion of imparting faulty, blotchy English in a higgadly-piggedly manner would bring forth a generation of half-baked English scholars. A.F.Dawood (Concluded)0 |
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