prepositional dative(介词与格/介词间接宾语结构):英语中用介词短语来表达“间接受事者(接受者/受益者)”的结构,常见形式是 V + direct object + to/for + indirect object。
例如:give the book to Mary(把书给玛丽)。
(说明:与之相对的常见结构是 double object dative:give Mary the book。)
/ˌprɛpəˈzɪʃənəl ˈdeɪtɪv/
I gave the keys to my sister using the prepositional dative.
我用介词与格结构把钥匙给了我姐姐。
In formal writing, the prepositional dative is often preferred when the recipient is long or needs emphasis, as in “She explained the policy to everyone in the room who had questions.”
在正式写作中,当接受者很长或需要强调时,常更偏好使用介词与格结构,比如 “She explained the policy to everyone in the room who had questions.”(她向房间里所有有疑问的人解释了这项政策。)
prepositional 来自 preposition(介词),指“与介词相关的”。dative 源自拉丁语 dativus,原意与“给予”有关,在语法学里指“与格”,常用来描述“接受者/受益者”这一角色。合起来 prepositional dative 就是“用介词来表达与格(接受者)”的结构名称。