On Not Answering the Telephone
If, at the end of a conversation somebody says to me, “As soon as I know, I’ll ring you up”(T1), he is taking too much for granted (R1). He (T2) is proposing to attempt the impossible (R2). So I (T3) have to say, “I’m afraid you can’t. You see, I’m not on the telephone. I just haven’t got a telephone (R3).”
Why (T1) don’t I have a telephone (R1)? Not because I (T2) pretend to be wise or pose as unusual (R2). There are (T3) two chief reasons: because I don’t really like the telephone and because I find I can still work and play, eat, breathe and sleep without it (R3). Why (T4) don’t I like the telephone (R4)? Because I (T5) think it is a pest and a time-waster (R5). It (T6) may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait for an expected call that doesn’t come; or irritating delay, as when you keep ringing a number that is always engaged (R6). As for speaking in a public telephone box, that (T7) seems to me really horrible (R7). You (T8) would not use it unless you were in a hurry, and because you are in a hurry you will find other people waiting before you (R8). When you do get into the box (T9), you are half asphyxiated by stale, unventilated air, flavored with cheap face-powder and chainsmoking; and by the time you have begun your conversation your back is chilled by the cold looks of somebody who is fidgeting to take your place (R9).
If you have a telephone in your own house (T1), you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring; when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath (R1). Are you (T2) strong-minded enough to ignore it, to say to yourself, “Ah, well, it will all be the same in a hundred years’ time”(R2)? You (T3) are not (R3). You (T4) think there may be some important news or message for you (R). Have you (T) never rushed dripping from the bath, or chewing from the table, or dazed from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number (R4)?
Suppose you (T1) ignore the telephone when it rings, and suppose that, for once, somebody has an important message for you (R1). I (T2) can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later (R2). Think of (T3) the proverb: “Ill news travels apace. (R3)”I (T4) must say good news seems to travel just as fast (R4). And think of (T5) the saying: “The truth will out. (R5)”It (T6) will (R6).
Perhaps, when you take off the receiver (T1), you give your number or your name (R1). But you (T2) don’t even know whom you are giving it to (R2)! Perhaps you (T3) have been indiscreet enough to have your name and number printed in the telephone directory, a book with a large circulation, a successful book so often reprinted as to make any author envious, a book more in evidence than Shakespeare or the Bible, and found in all sorts of private and public places (R3). It (T4) serves you right if you find it impossible to escape from some idle or inquisitive chatterbox, or from somebody who wants something for nothing, or from some reporter bent on questioning you about your own affairs or about the private life of some friend who has just eloped or met with a fatal accident (R4).
But, you (T1) will say, you need not have your name printed in the telephone directory, and you can have a telephone which is only usable for outgoing calls (R1). Besides, you (T2) will say, isn’t it important to have a telephone in case of sudden emergency—illness, accident or fire (R2)? Of course, you (T3) are right, but here in a thickly populated country like England one is seldom far from a telephone in case of dreadful necessity (R3).
Is there (T1) any conclusion to be drawn from my obstinacy and willfulness, my escapism, if you like to call it that (R1)? I (T2) think perhaps I had better try to justify myself by trying to prove that what I like is good (R2). At least I (T3) have proved to myself that what many people think necessary is not necessary at all (R3). I (T4) admit that in different circumstances—if I were a tycoon, for instance, or bed-ridden, I might find a telephone essential (R4). But then if I were a secretary or taxi-driver (T5) I should find a typewriter or a car essential (R5). Let me (T6) put it another way: there are two things for which the English seem to show particular aptitude: one is mechanical invention, the other is literature (R6). My own business (T7) happens to be with the use of words but I see I must now stop using them (R7). I (T8) have just been handed a slip of paper to say that somebody is waiting to speak to me on the telephone (R8). I (T9) think I had better answer it. After all, one (T) never knows, it may be something important (R9).
(A New English Course Third Edition, Students’ Book 3, p57-58)
笔者根据前面提及的篇章层级链式主位系统构建这篇文章的篇章主位、述位结构树形图。
图5-4-3 《不接电话》层级链式主位系统
如图5-4-3所示，篇章的主位是标题，篇章的述位是第二段到第七段。篇章的主位是篇章叙述的起点，后续的段落一般应与不接电话有关。笔者根据已有的知识预测后面的论述与接电话的相关话题，如原因等有关，是读者急于了解的话题，可以从后面的篇章中求证。
根据上图，第一段是第二层级的主位，第二段到第七段是第二层级的述位；第三层级的主位是第一段的第一句话，即“If，at the end of a conversation somebody says to me，“As soon as I know，I’ll ring you up”，he is taking too much for granted.”。第一段中的其余句子是第三层级的述位，下列各段中的第一句话是主位，其余句子是各段的第三层级述位。作者根据第一句提出了自己的见解，在其后担当述位的句子中，表明了自己的主张：“I’m not on the phone；I just haven’t got a telephone.”。
第二段到第七段的首句都是重要的一级主位单位：“Why（T1）don’t I have a telephone（R1）?”; “If you have a telephone in your own house（T1），you will admit that it tends to ring when you least want it to ring when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are in your bath（R1）.”; “Suppose you（T1）ignore the telephone when it rings，and suppose that，for once, somebody has an important message for you（R1）.”; “Perhaps, when you take off the receiver（T1）, you give your number or your name（R1）.”; “But，you（T1）will say，you need not have your name printed in the telephone directory，and you can have a telephone which is only usable for outgoing calls（R1）.”; “Is there（T1）any conclusion to be drawn from my obstinacy and willfulness, my escapism, if you like to call it that（R1）?”。这些句子同时也是每一段的主题句，是用来证明论点的事实和道理，即论据。这些论据中列举的事实有典型意义，驳斥了电话存在的必要性。
下面对每一自然段的主位推进模式进行分析。第一段出现了延续型和平行型推进模式：T2＝R1，T3＝T1，作为文章的开篇部分作者率先提出了前提：“I just haven’t got a telephone”，成为该文的论点并突出了自己的独特性。
第二段，作者回答和分析了没有电话的原因，主位推进模式如下：
T2＝ R1，T5＝R4，T6＝R5，T7＝R1，属于延续型模式，文章以第一人称显示了非正式的语调，作者用夸张的手法（R5：it is a pest and a time-paster）达到了喜剧的效果；T9＝T8，属于平行型篇章推进模式；R3＝T1，R8＝T7，属于交叉型，起到了变化句式的作用。
第三段主位推进模式如下：
T1＝T2＝T3＝T4，这些平行模式中第二人称的使用引起了作者的同感，客观地讲述了家中有电话的烦恼。
第四段的主位推进模式如下：
R2＝ T1，属于交叉型；R3＝R2，属于集中型；T4＝T2，T5＝T3，属于并列型；T6＝R5，属于延续型。本段是整篇文章中推进模式使用最多的段落，体现了句式富于变化的特点。
第五段的推进模式如下：
T1＝T2＝T3，属于平行结构；T4＝R3，属于延续型。本段的主位以第二人称为主，前三个平行模式论述了将电话号码和名字印在电话号码本上的事实，第四个主位的使用论证了电话带来的诸多麻烦。
第六段的推进模式只有平行型一种：
T1＝T2＝T3，主位是第二人称，叙述了即使在紧急的情况下家里也没必要安装电话，进一步论证了电话带来的麻烦大于帮助。
第七段是文章的结论部分，推进模式如下：
T2＝R1，属于延续型；T3＝T2＝T4＝T5＝T6＝T7 ＝T8＝T9属于平行型推进模式。本段连续第一人称同一主位的使用主观表达了作者的立场。
通过对《论不接电话》语篇的主位模式推进分析可以看出：各个类型的主位推进模式都可以出现在议论文中；上述整个篇章主位推进模式的分析也说明运用篇章主位、述位理论和层级链式主位系统，以及主位推进模式来分析篇章内部结构成分，如标题、首段等，可以厘清整个语篇中的标题与首段和剩余段落、每段小句间的各个主位、述位之间的衔接关系，能进一步理解篇章主题和深入了解作者的写作意图。
【注释】
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