Syntax and semantics of verbals in English

Grandcourt... rose and strolled out on the lawn, all the dogs following him. (Eliot)

Mr. Tulkinghorn comes and goes pretty often; there being estate business to do. (Dickens)

Then he started out, bag and overcoat in hand, to get his cup of coffee. (Maltz)

Prepositional Absolute Constructions are usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.

It was a balmy, radiant day, with the trees and grass shining exceedingly green after the rain of the night before. (Dreiser)

He was there, writing busily at a distant table, with his back towards the door. (Eliot)

2.2.5 Syntactical Role of the Gerund

The gerund may be used in various syntactic functions. A single gerund occurs but seldom; in most cases we find a gerundial phrase or a gerundial construction. Ilyish B.L. “The Structure of English Language” M., 1971, p.159

1. The gerund as a subject.

Talking mends no holes, (proverb)

Разговоры не помогают в беде.

Waiting for the Professor was a lame excuse for doing nothing. (Heym)

To, что мы ждали профессора, было слабым оправданием тому, что мы ничего не делали.

The gerund used as a subject may follow the predicate; in these cases the sentence opens with the introductory it (which serves as an introductory subject) or with the construction there is.

It's no use talking like that to me. (Shaw)

Бесполезно говорить со мной в таком тоне.

There was no mistaking the expression on her face. (Collins)

Выражения ее лица нельзя было не понять.

There is another view according to which it is the subject and the rest of the sentence is the predicate.

2. The gerund as a predicative.

The only remedy for such a headache as mine is going to bed. (Collins)

Единственное средство от такой головной боли, как у меня, -- это лечь спать.

3. The gerund as part of a compound verbal predicate.

(a) With verbs and verbal phrases denoting modality the gerund forms part of a compound verbal modal predicate.

We intend going to Switzerland, and climbing Mount Blanc. (Ch. Bronte)

Мы хотим поехать в Швейцарию и подняться па Монблан.

Joseph could not help admiring the man. (Heym)

Джозеф не мог не восхищаться этим человеком.

(b) With verbs denoting the beginning, the duration, or the end of an action, the gerund forms part of a compound verbal aspect predicate.

She began sobbing and weeping. (Dickens)

In the night it started raining. (Hemingway)

Bathsheba continued walking. (Hardy)

Tom went on whitewashing. (Twain)

4. The gerund as an object.

The gerund may be used as a direct object and as a prepositional indirect object.

I simply love riding. (Galsworthy) (direct object)

Я просто обожаю кататься верхом.

She enjoyed singing and playing to him. (London) (direct object )

Ей доставляло удовольствие петь и играть для него.

Predicative constructions with the gerund form a complex object as they consist of two distinct elements, nominal and verbal.

Perhaps you wouldn't mind Richard's coming in? (Dickens) (complex object)

Может быть, вы не будете возражать против того, чтобы вошел Ричард?

Aunt Augusta won't quite approve of your being here. (Wilde) (prepositional complex object)

Тетя Августа будет не очень довольна тем, что вы здесь.

5. The gerund as an attribute. In this function the gerund is always preceded by a preposition.

Swithin protruded his pale round eyes with the effort of hearing. (Galsworthy)

Суизин широко открыл свои бесцветные круглые глаза, стараясь услышать разговор.

Не was born with the gift of winning hearts. (Gaskell)

Он родился с даром покорять сердца.

6. The gerund as an adverbial modifier.

In this function the gerund is always preceded by a preposition. It is used in the function of an adverbial modifier of time, manner, attendant circumstances, cause, condition, purpose and concession; the most common functions are those of adverbial modifiers of time, manner, and attendant circumstances. В.Л. Каушанская и др. Грамматика английского языка (на английском языке). 1973 M. C. 176

(a) As an adverbial modifier of time the gerund is preceded by the prepositions after, before, on (upon), in or at.

After leaving her umbrella in the hall, she entered the living room. (Cronin)

Оставив зонтик и передней, она вошла в гостиную.

Me was to have three days at home before going back to farm. (Galsworthy)

Он должен был пробыть три дня дома, прежде чем возвратиться на ферму.

On reaching Casterbridge he left the horse and trap at an inn. (Hardy)

Приехав в Кастербридж, он оставил лошадь и экипаж в гостинице.

In the function of an adverbial modifier of time the gerund sometimes competes with the participle.

George, on hearing the story, grinned. (Galsworthy)

Джордж, услышав эту историю, усмехнулся.

The four girls, hearing him speak in the hall, rushed out of the library. (Eliot)

Все четыре девочки, услышав, что он говорит в передней, выбежали из библиотеки.

After reaching the second landing ... I heard a sound of quiet and regular breathing on my left-hand side. (Collins)

Дойдя до второй площадки лестницы, ... я услышал с левой стороны спокойное и ровное дыхание.

Reaching the door of the room occupied by Cowperwood and Aileen, she tapped lightly. (Dreiser)

Дойдя до двери комнаты, которую занимали Каупсрвуд и Эйлин, она тихонько постучала.

(b) As an adverbial modifier of manner the gerund is used with the prepositions by or in.

She startled her father by bursting into tears. (Gaskell)

Она напугала своего отца тем, что расплакалась.

The day was spent in packing. (Da Maurier)

День прошел за упаковкой вещей.

(c) As an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances the gerund is preceded by the preposition without.

She was not brilliant, not active, but rather peaceful and statuesque without knowing it. (Dreiser)

Это была женщина не блестящая, не энергичная, но она была очень спокойна и величественна, сама того не зная.

(d) As an adverbial modifier of purpose, the gerund is chiefly used with the preposition for.

... one side of the gallery was used for dancing. (Eliot)

... одна сторона галереи использовалась для танцев.

(e) As an adverbial modifier of condition the gerund is preceded by the preposition without.

He has no right to come bothering you and papa without being invited. (Shaw)

Он не имеет права приходить и беспокоить вас и отца, если его не приглашают.

(f) As an adverbial modifier of cause the gerund is used with the prepositions for, for fear of, owing to.

I feel the better myself for having spent a good deal of my time abroad. (Eliot)

Я чувствую себя лучше оттого, что долго прожил за границей.

I dared not attend the funeral for fear of making a fool of myself. (Coppard)

Я не смел присутствовать на похоронах, так как боялся поставить себя в глупое положение.

(g) As an adverbial modifier of concession the gerund is preceded by the preposition in spite of.

In spite of being busy, he did all he could to help her.

The above examples show that the gerund preceded by one and the same preposition may be used in different functions: with the preposition without, it may perform the function of an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances and of condition; with the preposition in, it may perform the function of an adverbial modifier of time and of manner; with the preposition for, it may perform the function of an adverbial modifier of purpose or of cause.

The Russian не + деепрнчастие may correspond to the English without + Gerund or not + Participle. It usually corresponds to not + Participle if it is used in the function of an adverbial modifier of cause.

He зная адреса мисс Бетси, Давид не мог ей написать.

Not knowing Miss Betsey's address, David could not write to her. (cause)

If не + деепричастие is used in the function of adverbial modifiers of attendant circumstances and of condition, it generally corresponds to without + Gerund.

Давид уехал из Лондона, никому ничего не сказав.

David left London without telling anybody about it. (attendant circumstances)

Мальчики не могли уходить из Салем-Хауса, не спросив разрешения.

The boys could not leave Salem House without asking for permission. (condition)

2.3.2 Constructions with the Gerund

Predicative constructions with the gerund.

Like all the verbals the gerund can form predicative constructions, i.e. constructions in which the verbal element expressed by the gerund is in predicate relation to the nominal element expressed by a noun or pronoun.

I don't like your going off without any money. (Maltz)

Мне не нравится, что вы уходите без денег.

Here the gerund going off is in predicate relation to the pronoun your, which denotes the doer of the action expressed by the gerund.

The nominal element of the construction can be expressed in different ways.

1. If it denotes a living being it may be expressed:

(a) by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun.

His further consideration of the point was prevented by Richard's coming back to us in an excited state. (Dickens)

Его дальнейшие размышления были прерваны тем, что вернулся Ричард в чрезвычайно возбужденном состоянии.

Do you mind my smoking? (Hardy)

Вы ничего не имеете против того, чтобы я курил?

(b) by a noun in the common case.

I have a distinct recollection of Lady Chiltern always getting the good conduct prize! (Wilde)

Я отлично помню, что леди Чильтерн всегда получала награды за примерное поведение.

Thus in Modern English there are two parallel constructions of the type: Fancy David's courting Emily and Fancy David courting Emily. These two constructions may be used indifferently, but sometimes there is a slight difference in meaning: in the first example the action (the verbal element of the construction) is emphasized, whereas in the second the doer of the action (the nominal element of the construction) is emphasized. Ilyish B.L. “The Structure of English Language” M., 1971, p.161

Occasionally examples are found where the nominal element of the construction is expressed by a pronoun in the objective case.

I hope you will forgive me disturbing you. (Du Maurier)

Надеюсь, вы простите меня за то, что я вас побеспокоил.

There are cases when the nominal element of the construction, though denoting a living being, cannot be expressed by a noun in the possessive case, but only by a noun in the common case, namely when it consists of two or more nouns or when it is a noun modified by an attribute in post-position.

I object to Mary and Jane going out on such a windy day. He felt no uneasiness now in the thought of the brother and) sister being alone together. (Eliot)

Его теперь не смущала мысль о том, что брат и сестра остались вдвоем.

Did you ever hear of a man of sense rejecting such an offer?

Слышали ли вы когда-нибудь, чтобы разумный человек отказался от такого предложения?

2. If the nominal element of the construction denotes a lifeless thing, it is expressed by a noun in the common case (such nouns, as a rule, are not used in the genitive case) or by a possessive pronoun.

I said something about my clock being slow. (Du Maurier)

Я сказала, что мои часы отстают.

Peggotty spoke of my room, and of its being ready for me. (Dickens)

Пеготти говорила о моей комнате и о том, что она уже приготовлена для меня.

3. The nominal element of the construction can also be expressed by a pronoun which has no case distinctions, such as all, this, that, both, each, something.

I insist on both of them coming in time.

Я требую, чтобы они оба пришли вовремя.

Again Michael... was conscious of something deep and private stirring within himself. (Galsworthy)

Майкл опять почувствовал, что в его душе шевельнулось что-то глубокое и затаенное.

Some grammarians recognize the existence of two separate constructions: the gerundial construction (a construction whose nominal element is expressed by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun) and a construction with a half gerund (a construction whose nominal element is expressed by a noun in the common case, a pronoun in the objective ease, or a pronoun which has no case distinctions).

A gerundial construction is nearly always rendered in Russian by a subordinate clause, generally introduced by то, что; тем, что; как, etc.

His being a foreigner, an ex-enemy was bad enough. (Aldington)

To, что он был иностранец, бывший неприятель, было уже плохо.

Her thoughts were interrupted at last, by the door opening gently. (Reade)

Ее мысли были наконец прерваны тем, что дверь тихонько открылась.

The use of the gerund.

In Modern English the gerund is widely used and often competes with the infinitive.

In the following cases- only the gerund is used:

1. With the verbs and verbal phrases: to avoid, to burst out, to deny, to enjoy, to excuse, to fancy (in imperative sentences as an exclamation of surprise), to finish, to forgive, to give up, to go on, to keep (on), to leave off, to mind (in negative and interrogative sentences), to postpone, to put off, cannot help, and some others.

He avoided looking at Sabina. (Wilson)

Он избегал смотреть на Сабину.

…she burst out crying. (Collins)

Она расплакалась.

We all burst out laughing. (Braine)

Мы все рассмеялись.

She denied having been at the station that evening. (Gaskell)

Она отрицала, что была в тот вечер на станции.

... he enjoyed thinking of her as his future wife. (Eliot)

... ему доставляло удовольствие думать о ней как о своей будущей жене.

Excuse my leaving you in the dark a moment. (Dickens)

Извините, что я па минуту оставлю вас в темноте.

Fancy finding you here at such аи hour! (Hardy)

Я даже и представить себе не мог, что застану вас здесь в такое время!

Forgive my speaking plainly. (Hardy)

Простите, что я говорю так прямо.

2. With the following verbs and verbal phrases used with a preposition: to accuse of, to agree to, to approve of, to complain of, to depend on, to feel like, to insist on, to look -like, to object to, to persist in, to prevent from, to rely on, to speak of, to succeed in, to suspect of, to thank for, to think of, to give- up the idea of, to look forward to, not to like the idea of, to miss an (the) opportunity of and some others.

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