| 词组 | act, action |
| 释义 | act, action Both act and action can be similarly used to denote something done. In theory, an act is conceived of as individual and momentary or instantaneous; an action involves discrete stages or steps and is conceived of as occupying more time than an act. However, even though many writers and speakers give little thought to the theory, in most cases, as we shall see, the two words tend to fall into different patterns of use. Sometimes, it is true, either word might have been used: • ... deGaulle made public his proposal on December 28. This action brought a reply from Algiers — Arthur L. Funk, Current History, November 1952 • ... one of the first acts of President Buchanan was to appoint him —Dictionary of American Biography, 1928 So far as we can tell from these extracts, deGaulle's action might just as well have been Buchanan's act, and vice versa. Nevertheless, differences in usage are usually apparent. When act is modified by something descriptive, for example, it tends to be followed by of and a noun: • ... performing numerous acts of kindness to those in need —Times Literary Supp., 8 Feb. 1968 • ... engaged in an act of arson, or an act of revolutionary heroism, depending on his view —Jerome H. Skolnick, Trans-Action, November 1968 • ... they could never catch Reston in an act of arrogance or selfishness —Gay Talese, Harper's, January 1969 • ... sit down to commit an act of literature —William Zinsser, 1975 • The physical act of moving is even worse—the sheer awfulness of facing that jammed and cluttered attic —Anna Fisher Rush, McCall's, March 1971 • Once the act of reading has begun —Joe Flaherty, NY. Times Book Rev., 21 Mar. 1977 One phrase is a notable exception: • The sex act has to do more for humans than for other creatures —Robert Jay Lifton, N.Y. Times Book Rev., 19 Aug. 1979 Action tends to be preceded by its modifier: • ... a similar CNVA protest action —Current Biography, October 1965 • ... his bungling unilateral actions during the Corsi-can campaign —Arthur L. Funk, Current History, November 1952 • ... his occasional political actions ... seem unrelated to any other aspect of his character —Times Literary Supp., 14 Mar. 1968 • There are squatter actions going on all the time — Philip St. George, quoted in N.Y. Times, 23 Mar. 1980 When a prepositional phrase introduced by of follows action, it usually functions as a genitive: • It is the actions of men and not their sentiments which make history —Norman Mailer, Advertisements for Myself, 1959 • ... the future of our children depends in great measure on the actions of our political leaders —Lena L. Gitter, Children's House, Fall 1968 Action has a collective use that act does not: • ... the only time in which it took decisive action — Times Literary Supp., 16 Jan. 1969 • ... immediately pressed for Congressional action — Current Biography, December 1965 • ... after the Socialists' April triumph, action against them was indicated —John Paton Davies, N.Y. Times Mag., 13 July 1975 Action is also used attributively, while act is not: • ... scrutiny by ... environmental action groups — Annual Report, Owens-Illinois, 1970 • ... lots of exciting action photographs —C. H. Simonds, National Rev., 17 Dec. 1971 In addition, both act and action fit into characteristic idiomatic constructions where no native speaker of English would be tempted to interchange them: for instance, caught in the act, a piece of the action. (Those involving act often invoke the performance sense of that word.) Here is a sampling: • "She had a class act going there." —Cyra McFadden, The Serial, 1977 (class action is a legal term) • ... Washington must get its act together —Wassily Leontief, N. Y. Times Mag., 30 Dec. 1979 • "... to try to clean up his act." —John Maher, quoted in Harper's Weekly, 20 Oct. 1975 • ... a bulletin on how the hairdressers are getting into the act —Lois Long, New Yorker, 8 Sept. 1956 • ... no action has yet been taken —Hugh Thomas, Times Literary Supp., 11 Apr. 1968 • "... tomorrow they swing into action...." — unnamed announcer, WTIC radio, 23 Feb. 1975 • ... a general program that ... was not put into action at first —Current Biography, May 1965 • Its editorial offices are in Manhattan, near the action —Herbert Mitgang, NY. Times Book Rev., 13 Jan. 1980 |
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