27 介词as的几种基本用法

问：我在学习英语过程中，遇到这样一个问题：as有时用作介词，与名词、代词、动名词及形容词等构成短语用作宾补或主补，但一般教科书上的讨论都不是很深入，不知哪些动词在什么情况下使用这种as短语作宾补或主补，敬请赐教。

答：as在用作介词（有的语法学家称其为“准介词”或“限定词”），意为“作为”（in the capacity, character, condition, or role of）时，可与名词、代词、动名词或形容词构成短语，作某些动词的宾语补语（object complement）或主语补语（subject complement），用来补足宾语或主语的意思，其常见的动词有：accept，acknowledge，admire，characterize，consider，define，describe，mistake，own，picture，qualify，reckon，recognize，regard，take，treat，view等。例如：

（1）Urban dwellers often accept noise as part of city life.（城市居民常常忍受噪声是城市生活的一部分。）

（2）All philosophers acknowledged him as their guide and master.

（3）I considered him as belonging to a group of misguided.

（4）We may define a square as a rectangle with four equal sides.

（5）I can’t quite picture him as a family man.

（6）I regard that movie as one of the worst I’ve ever seen.

（7）The First-generation Americans view the United States as a land of golden opportunity.（第一代美国人认为美国是一块充满大好机会的热土。）

（8）It is characterized as one of the greatest pieces of engineering work in the world.

（9）Landscape architecture is today recognized as one of the fine arts.

（10）Even as a young boy, he was regarded as very promising.（注意该句中用作主语补语的名词短语a young boy和形容词短语very promising之前均有（even）as，并且不可缺少。）

值得注意的是，有些动词的主语补语之前既可用介词as也可用for，例如：

（11）His discoveries were hailed as（for）a great step forward in medicine.

（12）Am I to take this excuse as（for）a reason for your behaviour？

但意义有所不同，应注意区别。此外，有些短语动词也可与as的上述短语搭配使用，常见的有：look on（upon）…as，refer to…as，speak of…as，think of…as等。例如：

（13）Do you look on（upon）Dr. Smith as a profound authority on the subject？

（14）On all occasions he referred to us as“lads.”

这些短语动词也可用被动形式，例如：

（15）Water is spoken of as containing the two elements: hydrogen and oxygen.

（16）The mixture of elements in the air can be thought of as a solution of gases.

在英语学习过程中，掌握词汇用法是一个长期的过程，若能及时归纳总结词语的固定搭配和习惯用法，并坚持大量阅读，定能天天向上、日日进步。