在传统语法中,"介词+-ing"结构(如"after having the meal")被称为"介词短语",因为该结构被认为是由"介词+介词宾语"构成的。本文以系统功能语法为理论指导,根据功能句法分析的原则和假定,从意义的表达出发,对该结构进行功能句法分析。本文的分析表明,英语中的"介词+-ing"结构是非限定小句,而不是一般语法书所说的介词短语。

In traditional approaches to English grammar, the "preposition + -ing" construction is treated as a prepositional phrase, with the preposition as the head of the construction and the -ing form as the complement of the preposition. This paper takes a systemic functional approach and analyses, according to systemic functional principles, this construction from a meaning-motivated perspective. It is concluded that the construction under discussion is a non-finite clause rather than a prepositional phrase.

广东省哲学社会科学“十一五”规划项目“功能句法研究的若干问题”(06K01)的研究成果