这主要是语法问题,但与语义和语体(register)也有一定关系。
1.在符合语法规范的要求下,并列结构的第二个(及此后的)分句需要用that引导,一般不可省略。如果不用连词that,句子结构产生歧义。例如:
I know (that) he's cheating and I can't do anything about it.
Quirk认为这是一个有结构性歧义(Structural ambiguity)的句子,可能产生的解读有两种:
(1)I can't do anything about it与(that) he's cheating并列,均为I know的补足语(宾语)。为了让明确这一点,需要在第2个分句前添加连词that,写成:
I know (that) he's cheating and that I can't do anything about it.
(注:第二个分句只要有that,就可以表明与前一分句并列,即使and前有逗号。例如: Note that adjectives are placed after the indefinite pronoun rather than in front of it, and that you do not use a determiner-CCEG)
(2)I can't do anything about it与I know (that) he's cheating并列。但如果不对现有句子重新措辞,则无法确认这一解读。因此,通常须在两句之间添加标点符号,最好是分号。更明确的办法是把and省略(或替换成however)。例如:
I know that he's cheating; (however) I can't do anything about it. (CGOEL)
如此,则 I can't do anything about it完全脱离了I know的控制,成为与主句并列的独立句子。
因此,从语法规范性的角度看,把两个并列的宾语从句视为一体而将第二个that省略的做法通常不可行。这是主流英语语法共识。
2.在脱离上述并列结构的一般性用法中,非正式语体常省略连词that,正式语体通常保留。这是确定是否省略that的若干因素之一。受这一因素的影响,在并列结构中,第二个that省略的情况在非正式语体中有可能出现。但前提是:从语义就能判断并列结构处于从句层级而非主句层级。而非正式语体通常句式简短、语义明确,通常具有省略第二个that而不被误读的条件。例如:It is possible that you are right and I am wrong. 如此短小又意义自明的句子在and后再用一个that就极不自然了。
3.关于It soon dawned on me that many university professors are quite willing to share what they know, and they do take a genuine interest in their students’ intellectual development.
首先是这个句子的句源是否靠谱。看上去是一个本科生的毕业感想,英语用法不规范的可能性是存在的。严格地说,and they do take a genuine interest in their students’ intellectual development会被视为与主分句并列,而非与前面的that从句并列。这也就是说 many university professors are quite willing to share what they know(教授们愿意分享知识)是作者当时的认识,而they do take a genuine interest in their students’ intellectual development(他们关注学生的智力发展)则陈述了一个客观事实。
如果坚持they do take a genuine interest in their students’ intellectual development的语义已经明确与前面的that从句并列,所以that被省略。我认为无论从语法、语义还是语体角度看,都颇为牵强。
仅供参考。
