For members of the seventeenth-century Ashanti nation in Africa, animal-hide shields with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, a method to protect warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
以下我转自一个留学机构对大家认为是non-modifier的“,ving"作的辨析
四,SVO,V-ing 是 verb modifier, 切记 绝对没有noun-modify
I.有歧义的例子分析:
OG12-30For members of the seventeenth-century Ashanti nation in Africa, animal-hide shields with wooden frames were essential items of military equipment, a method to protect warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
A. a method to protect
B. as a method protecting
C. Protecting(C)
D. as a protection of
E. to protect
可能认为protecting 是修饰items或equipment, 但是"svo comma v-ing"必须是verb modifier!OG对此的解释是 revealing the purpose of the items.体会下为什么不说modify the items of military equipment? 因此protecting是 adv,表目的。
NN的解释
shields were essential items of military equipment, protecting warriors against enemy arrows and spears.
如果你认为这是个noun modifier,那么就是根据touch rule, 修饰military equipment,或者是"essential items of military equipment".
可是,你从意思上看,你觉得"protecting warriors against enemy arrows and spears" 是military equipment的作用么?军事设备就是这么描述的?
显然,"protecting ..."补充说明这整个一句话的意思" shields were military equipment",因此,一定一定是adverbial modifier.